Forward Motion
by just slummin
Summary: Follows “Journey’s End” in the continuing Mal/River storyline. As Serenity heads to Osiris, Jim struggles with his new limitations. NOW COMPLETE.
1. Chapter 1

Forward Motion

**Forward Motion**

**Part I—En Route**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: Follows "Journey's End" in the continuing Mal/River storyline. As Serenity heads to Osiris, Jim struggles with his new limitations.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jim concentrated carefully on the cup in his hand, gauging the distance to the bed tray with intense focus. Very slowly, he maneuvered the cup over the table top and set it down. "You got it, Uncle Jim," Anya said, wildly elated with this tiny bit of progress. "Almost exactly in the middle!"

Jim smiled and was relieved when she smiled back warmly. Smiles were still a bit tricky, often as not coming out as an expression that made everyone vaguely uneasy. But, as he was having more and more occasion to smile, he was re-training his facial muscles to make the correct series of movements to accomplish a somewhat lopsided grin.

Anya rearranged the objects on the tray. "Now, see if you can pick up the spoon," she prompted.

Jim looked down at the tray, focusing carefully on each item until he discovered what he hoped was the spoon. Reaching deliberately toward it, he accidentally spilled the contents of the cup into his lap. Anya quickly blotted it dry, murmuring words of encouragement the whole time as Jim mentally scrolled through all the Mandarin curses he could remember.

"Don't worry, Mr. Jim," Adam piped up from the side of the bed. "Happens to me all the time."

Jim smiled again, wishing he could manage to reach out and ruffle the boy's hair without potentially taking out his eye in the process. "The spoon," Anya reminded him. "Can you pick up the spoon?"

Jim turned his attention back to the tray and managed this time to pick up the utensil without further incident. "Good," Anya praised. Looking at him with a hint of worry in her eye, she said, "Want to try to get it to your mouth?"

Jim frowned, working out the spatial relationship between the spoon in his hand and his mouth. Very slowly, he moved the spoon upward until he could feel it press against his chin. "Another inch," Anya said quietly. "Just one more inch and you've got it."

Jim thought about how long an inch should be and adjusted the spoon accordingly. Anya beamed as the spoon touched her uncle's lips. "Won't be long before you're feeding yourself at this rate," she said cheerily. "Can you place the spoon back on the tray?"

Simon watched from the infirmary doorway, impressed with the patience of the children and the determination of the patient. When Jim managed to get the spoon back into an approximation of its earlier position, Simon stepped forward. "That's excellent progress, Jim," he said, motioning Adam and Anya to step away from the bed. "But speaking of feeding oneself, lunch is waiting for the children."

"Can't we stay a little longer?" Adam asked.

"Not now," Simon answered kindly. "Jim needs to rest now, and your lunch is getting cold. You can come back later to visit, if you wish."

Adam nodded, crawling up to give Jim a quick peck on the cheek while Anya did the same on the other side of the bed. "See you this afternoon," Anya said softly as they headed to the galley.

"Bye," Jim managed to get out, surprising himself and Simon as well.

"Well," Simon said, pulling up a stool to talk to his patient. "It looks like real progress is being made here."

Jim shifted in the bed, becoming disoriented for a long moment until he regained his balance. "S..s…slow," he said.

Simon shook his head. "Not really," he said. "Not for what you've been through. I know it must be frustrating, but you are really doing very well. And when we can get to Osiris, there will be much more that can be used to speed your recovery."

Jim looked at him intently. "Wh….wh…when?"

"According to the Captain's best estimate, we're still about two weeks out," Simon answered. Jim nodded carefully, trying not to set himself into a dizzying spin again. "So," Simon continued. "Zoe should be down in a few minutes with some lunch for you, and then perhaps we can try to walk around a bit again this afternoon."

Jim sighed, the thought of walking right after eating making his stomach churn uncomfortably. Walking was a tedious task so far. It required intense concentration and more than a little luck, as his brain was battling to adjust to his altered sense of depth perception while also sending the appropriate signals to his muscles to move his legs and arms in such a way as to achieve forward motion. But, Jim was determined to re-train the areas of his brain that had suffered trauma, and Simon had assured him that new connections could be made to compensate for what had been lost in the struggle on Whittier.

As if sensing his thoughts, Simon said, "We'll wait until a little later in the afternoon. Give your lunch time to settle a bit this time."

Jim smiled gratefully. At least maybe this time he wouldn't lose his lunch on Simon's shoes like last time, he thought tiredly.

XXXXXXXXXX

Zoe stood at Mal's side as he checked the settings on the navigational console. "So you don't foresee any problem with stopping off on Aberdeen long enough for me and Jim to…"

Mal looked up at his friend and grinned. "You havin' problems even sayin' it, Zoe?" he asked. "Don't bode well for a happy marriage, if you ask me."

"Good thing I wasn't askin' then," Zoe said blandly. "I ain't got a problem sayin' it, or doin' it, assumin' we can stop off before we actually get to Osiris. I got no notion to get married on a Core world."

Mal nodded. "Aberdeen's practically on the way. Won't put us off schedule by more'n half a day, at the most. Assumin' you're not plannin' on a big shindig."

Zoe shook her head. "Justice of the peace works fine for me," she said. "Don't expect Jim'll be up for much more than a few words anyhow."

Mal's eyes were kind as they looked at her. "Jim's doin' good, according to Simon. I'm fair certain it'll all be just shiny."

Zoe nodded. "'Course," she said, heading back out the door. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

Mal watched her receding back, thinking that she looked altogether more pale and thin than he would like. Simon had told him that this was to be expected, due to the nature of Zoe's malignancy, but still it was a difficult thing for Mal to watch the strong woman even slightly diminished by her illness. The medication awaiting them on Osiris had better be the miracle Simon seemed to think it was, Mal thought grimly as he turned back to the console and stared out into the Black.

XXXXXXXXXX

River sat on the edge of Jim's bed, her head tilted to the side as she listened to his thoughts. He had at first resisted her mental intrusion, but he could not deny that she had helped him rebuild order into what had at first been chaos. They had mutually agreed it best not to reveal the extent of her communion with him, as neither was certain it would be a welcome thing to the others involved. So, daily River came to the infirmary for a "visit" and none were the wiser as to her true purpose.

Jim had come to look forward to these moments of calm in his daily routine, a time when he could concentrate less on the physical effects of his injury and more on the mental recovery process. River radiated calm efficiency, bringing his thoughts into a subtle harmony that encouraged coherence. And, much to Jim's relief, she respected the meager mental barriers he erected to preserve his privacy and he no longer worried that he was revealing too much of himself with the process.

Now, she looked up at him with serious eyes. "Won't matter to her," she said. "Whether you can walk down the aisle or not, or repeat vows or not. Will still be married, regardless." She paused, waiting for him to process the information. "Doesn't expect you to do more than you can do," she added. "Regardless of what you expect of yourself."

Jim sighed, leaning his head back against the pillow and closing his eyes before the dizziness took hold once again. River leaned down close to his ear. "And I'll help you to say "I do". We'll practice, if you wish."

Jim looked up at her gratefully. "Y…y..yes," he said aloud, though he knew she had already heard the thought in his head.

XXXXXXXXXX

Inara stepped back, looking at her handiwork with a critical eye. Zoe smoothed the dress over her hips and looked into the full length mirror. "Looks better than mine," she said after a moment. "Besides which, I ain't wildly fond of the idea of getting' married Jim in the same dress I wore to bury Wash in."

Inara nodded sympathetically. "I'm sorry I didn't have anything longer," she said.

"No matter," Zoe replied, eyeing her long legs under the skirt. "Guess it's a good thing I've lost so much weight, or you wouldn't have had anything wide enough either."

Inara pinned a new section of hem, looking up at Zoe with understanding. "You're beautiful, Zoe, regardless of a few pounds lost. Jim is a lucky man."

Zoe snorted, shifting on her feet and inadvertently making Inara stick herself with a pin. "Weren't for tryin' to help me, he wouldn't have even been on Serenity when those men attacked. Can't see how that makes him any kind of lucky."

Inara rose to look Zoe carefully in the eye. Hands on her hips, she said, "Zoe, you know it wasn't your fault. What happened just…happened. And I'm quite sure that Jim would not have managed to pull through as well as he has without your love and support."

Zoe looked at her with haunted eyes. "Don't know as that's gonna be enough to face what's ahead of us," she said softly.

Unaccustomed to this more vulnerable side of the warrior woman, Inara paused for a moment. "It's the strongest thing there is….the love of one person for another. Can survive any amount of stress, any horror that tries to overwhelm it, anything at all."

Zoe nodded, though her eyes were still troubled. "We'll see," she said softly.

"Now," Inara said briskly, trying to dispel the mood that had overtaken them both. "I think I might have just the thing to accentuate that lovely neck of yours."

XXXXXXXXXX

The suited man sat behind his desk, his fingers steepled under his chin as he considered the information with which he had just been provided. "And you are positive this Bowden man is to arrive at the facility within the next two weeks?"

"Yes, the arrangements have been made by Gabriel Tam himself. It took a little digging to find the source of the request, but it was most definitely Mr. Tam."

"And what makes you think this has anything to do with Reynolds?"

"It is the same Bowden under whose name Reynolds secured insurance benefits from the Allied government some time ago."

The suited man raised one eloquent eyebrow. "Is there a chance that Bowden is Reynolds?"

"No," the younger man replied. "Shortly after the operation, Reynolds and Bowden dissolved their marital union. Obviously, a device simply to procure medical attention while defrauding the government."

"Still, a connection between Bowden and Reynolds might explain Tam's involvement," the suited man replied, leaning forward slightly in his chair.

The younger man nodded, having come to the same conclusion long ago. He waited patiently for the older man to say something else.

After a long time of silence, the older man said, "You've done well. Continue with your surveillance of the Tam estate, and also cover the medical facility until this Bowden person arrives. Perhaps you will find something else of use for me."

The younger man bowed slightly. "As you wish," he said. "I'll assemble a small team to cover the medical facility within the hour."

The older man nodded and, motioning the younger man out of the room, placed a wave. After a few seconds, a figure coalesced on the screen. "You have news?"

"Possibly," the older man answered, explaining briefly what he had found out.

"Excellent," the man on the screen said. "Keep me apprised of anything that develops. Once we've located Reynolds, you will be compensated for your efforts."

The older man smiled. "Of course," he said, his lips twisting in a parody of genuine pleasure. "I would expect no less."

The man on the screen made no reply as he reached his blue-gloved hand up to cut the transmission.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	2. Chapter 2

Journey's End

**Forward Motion**

**Part II—Getting Ready**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: Serenity lands on Aberdeen, and everyone prepares for Zoe's nuptials.

XXXXXXXXXX

River set Serenity down with a soft bump in the dusty soil of Aberdeen. "Won't be any trouble this time," she said softly in answer to Mal's current train of thought.

"Good to know," Mal said, choosing to ignore her blatant eavesdropping into his psyche.

"Wouldn't have to be a Reader to know," she answered. "The furrow in your brow is a dead giveaway."

"How's about we don't use the word 'dead' right now?" Mal said, though his smile softened the words.

River laughed. "Perhaps you're just nervous because Zoe's getting married."

"Why should I be nervous?" Mal asked. "Ain't like she couldn't snap Jim in two if need be. Even before he got injured."

River sighed. "Won't need to, you know. He loves her very much."

"S'pose so," Mal said, leaving the co-pilot's chair to head to the cargo bay. "Reckon I'd best go make the arrangements with the local magistrate, assuming they've got one now."

"Zoe's not going to?" River asked.

"Didn't seem right for her to have to do it, bein' as how it would normally be Jim's job. I told him I wouldn't be averse to arranging things, if he wanted me to." Mal looked slightly embarrassed at his sentimental turn.

River rose gracefully and leaned up on tiptoe to kiss her husband. "You're a good man, Malcolm Reynolds," she said solemnly.

"Wouldn't go so far as to say that," Mal answered, grinning as he headed out the door.

XXXXXXXXXX

Kaylee looked through Daniel's clothes critically. "What about this one?" she asked, holding up a little white shirt. "It's plain, but at least it ain't got stains on it."

"Good point," Simon said. "I think I could make him a little cummerbund out of one of my ties. Where's the….?"

Kaylee pulled the little pair of black pants out of the bottom drawer with a flourish. "Good thing Adam outgrew these, or else Daniel'd be bare from the cummerbund down," she said grinning.

Simon nodded, briefly wondering how it was that he had come to be on this ship with a wife and child, rummaging through hand-me-downs to find an appropriate outfit for a wedding. Somehow, back on Osiris, he had never imagined such a life, and never envisioned what joy he would find here. "What are you going to wear?" he asked Kaylee curiously.

"'Nara's got somethin' for me," she said. "Real pretty fits too. A jade-colored sheath. Fits me like a second skin. Kinda' slinky-like."

"Mmmm," Simon said, imagining his wife's luscious curves in a clingy dress. "Sounds…lovely."

Kaylee smiled, her whole face lit with happiness. "Wait 'til you see what 'Nara found for Zoe," she said. "She's gonna be such a beautiful bride."

Simon smiled, though he couldn't help but picture the way Zoe's disease had worn away at her natural beauty. "I'm sure she will be," he said quietly.

Daniel crawled to his father's leg and stood up, holding onto Simon's calf for support. "Dadda," he said, holding his little arms up insistently.

Simon swung him up into his arms, smiling widely. "You ready to go to see Miss Zoe get married?" he asked.

Daniel nodded, sticking one finger into his mouth. "Weady," he said.

"Well, we've still got to wait a little while," Simon said, ruffling his son's hair.

"That's right, Daniel," Kaylee said, smiling. "Everybody's gotta get all prettied up."

Daniel scowled in a close approximation of the Captain. "Evewybody?" he complained.

"Yes, everybody," Kaylee said firmly. "And that includes my little man." Reaching for the boy, she set about cleaning his face and peeling off his play clothes, which were the worst for wear at the moment.

Daniel squirmed under her vigorous scrubbing, thinking that maybe he really didn't want to see Miss Zoe and Mr. Jim get married after all.

XXXXXXXXXX

The magistrate of Aberdeen's settlement tugged at his beard thoughtfully. "Highly irregular is what it is," he said for the third time. "Alliance regulations say that the groom is to present his own documentation for a marriage to be registered legal-like. Now I know we ain't exactly in the Core, but I try to maintain law and order in these parts just as if we were. See no need to be bending the rules for a ship as is just passing through on the way to parts unknown."

Mal sighed inwardly, but smiled politely. "I can understand your concern," he said winningly. "And looking at your fine settlement, I can see that you've made vast improvements since you've been magistrate here. But I can assure you that my crew means no disruption to the way you normally do things. It's just that the groom had an unfortunate accident awhile back, and he isn't able to come himself to handle the paperwork."

"What kinda' accident?" the magistrate asked suspiciously.

Fighting the urge to just throttle the man, Mal replied evenly, "He was attacked by some men who were intent on abducting his fiancé. Just defending what was his."

"Musta' worked, if she's here to marry him," the magistrate said.

Not willing to go into more detail, Mal nodded. "So, if it's all the same to you, I'd like to handle whatever legalities there are so they can get married as quickly as possible. We don't intend to actually be here overnight, you see."

"Why not?" the magistrate asked. "We got us a fine bed and breakfast right here in the center of town. A right romantical spot, if you like that sort of thing. Has a little chapel on the first floor, and fine accommodations for a honeymooning couple."

"I'm sure that's all well and good," Mal said. "But we're under a sort of time constraint. Got a ways to go and a short span of time."

The magistrate frowned, thinking that he needed to check the Cortex for the newest warrants issued in his sector. "You ain't on the run from the law, are ya'?"

"No, we are not," Mal said emphatically. "Just a cargo ship that needs to get to our next port." He paused, looking at the magistrate calmly. "Now about those papers…"

The magistrate stroked his beard again. "Go on and have a seat outside in the waiting area. I'll get 'em together and bring 'em out."

Mal nodded, knowing quite well that as soon as he walked through the door to the outer office, the magistrate would be checking for outstanding warrants. As far as he knew, there were none, so he was not unduly concerned. Sitting down in a rickety chair, he waited.

XXXXXXXXXX

Simon carefully buttoned the crisp, white shirt and smiled at Jim. "Ready for the tie?" he asked.

Jim nodded slightly, not wanting to risk setting off a bout of nausea now that he was dressed for the most significant event of his life.

"I don't think these pants will crease too badly," Simon continued. "You should be able to sit all the way through the ceremony and still look fine."

"N,..n…no," Jim said firmly, setting his jaw.

"Jim, it will be nearly impossible for you to stand long enough to have the shortest of ceremonies," Simon said. "Your center of balance is just not that good yet."

"S'why I'm gonna be standin' right beside him," Jayne said from the infirmary doorway. When Simon started to protest, Jayne added, "You're welcome to stand behind him, if you think it's necessary, but I 'spect me and Zoe can keep him upright long's we need to."

Jim smiled crookedly as Jayne grinned at him. Simon threw up his hands. "If you're sure you want to expend your energy standing, far be it from me to stop you. But there are the vows to consider as well. How will you be able to concentrate on saying them if you have to focus on standing?"

"Already spoken to the magistrate about that," Mal said, stepping into the rapidly-filling infirmary. Smiling at Jim, he said, "Man said if you can say "Yes" when he asks, he'll let the vows sorta slip on by."

Jim nodded, grateful for all the support of the three men in the room with him. Determining that he would speak those vows to Zoe privately as soon as he could string a sentence together, he pointed toward a comb. Simon immediately set about trying to comb Jim's remaining hair into a reasonable style for public display. Wishing that the hair he'd had to shave from the side of Jim's head had grown a little more than it had, Simon did the best he could.

Jim surveyed the results in the mirror Simon held up. Jayne said, "Good thing Zoe was in love with you already, 'cause that hair ain't doin' you any favors."

Mal turned to glare at his mercenary, but Jim managed a gesture that said everything that needed to be said in response. The three men looked at him in shock for a moment before Mal and Simon burst out laughing. "Well, I see there's some things that still come natural," Mal said, his eyes twinkling merrily.

Jayne groused, though he was secretly delighted to see a spark of the old Jim in the gesture. "That any way to treat the man who's goona stand with you?" he asked.

Jim grinned, looking not the least bit repentant. Mal looked at the chronometer on the wall. "Best we be gettin' everybody ready. Ain't but an hour 'til time."

XXXXXXXXXX

Anya knocked on Inara's door tentatively.

"Ching jin," Inara called out.

Stepping into the shuttle, Anya gasped as she saw Inara. "Oh, Miss Inara, that's the prettiest dress I ever saw," she said, her eyes wide with wonder at Inara's finery.

"Wait 'til you see your mother's dress," Inara said. "This one will look like a rag by comparison."

Anya looked at the golden material of Inara's dress, amazed by the delicate embroidery covering the tightly fitted bodice. The skirt flared at Inara's hips, making her look like a princess in the well-worn book of fairy tales that the children often read. "What can I do for you?" Inara prompted, hoping to refocus Anya's attention elsewhere.

"Oh," Anya said, as if just then remembering why she had come. "Mama said you could probably tie a better bow in this than she can." She turned around, showing Inara Zoe's attempt at tying Anya's sash into a bow.

Inara laughed lightly. "I think I can, at that," she said, quickly tying a perfect, crisp bow in Anya's pretty blue dress. "This color looks very becoming on you," she added kindly.

"Hope so," Anya said. "S'the only dress I got, anyways. Not much use for a dress in the Black."

"I suppose you're right about that," Inara said, thinking of how very different Anya's life was than the one she had led as a child. "Still, it's nice to have pretty things now and then."

Anya nodded, her mind already on another topic. "When Mama marries Uncle Jim," she said, knowing instinctively that Inara was the one to ask. "That'll kinda' make him my Daddy, right?"

Inara thought carefully. "Yes," she said after a moment. "In a way."

"Will he be expectin' me to call him Daddy?" Anya asked. "I mean, I'm kinda' used to callin' him Uncle Jim, and well…." She bit her lip, pondering her dilemma. "It isn't that I don't love him. It's just that…..I had a Daddy already."

How she tugs at my heart, Inara thought, pulling the young girl to her chest and wrapping her arms around her, heedless of the crushing of her own dress. "I'm sure he'll be delighted with anything you feel comfortable calling him, Anya," she said soothingly. "He loves you very much, and he knows quite well that you loved your Daddy very much, as did he."

Anya rested for a moment in the warmth of Inara's embrace. "Had another Mama before Mama too," she said softly. "But I still want to call her Mama. Feels right."

Inara nodded, "And you should do exactly what feels right with regard to your uncle as well. It is what they would both want."

Anya nodded and pulled away from Inara's arms. "Thanks, Miss Inara," she said softly. "Guess I'd best go see if I can help Mama get ready."

"Tell her I'm ready to help her get dressed if she'd like to come now," Inara called out, watching the young girl head to Zoe's bunk.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal fidgeted with his tie, thinking that ties must have been an invention of a man with a real hatred for air flow. River batted his hands away, straightening the tie for the third time. "It looks wonderful, ai ren," she said, half scoldingly.

"It looks uncomfortable," Mal replied, taking a last look in the mirror.

"Well, you won't have to wear it for long," River replied, tying a neat bow in Hannah's hair.

Mal turned to look at her and was struck anew with how very lucky he was. "Now you on the other hand," he said huskily. "You look like the queen of Londinium, come to bestow her bounty on the commoners."

River laughed, twirling slightly in her dress. "I'll admit I'm surprised I could still wear it, after two children," she said.

"And you look even more lovely than you did that day in the dress shop on Greenleaf," Mal replied, thinking about how much she had been through since that day so long ago when he had bought her the dress as a present to surprise her with when he proposed to her.

River smiled radiantly. "And you look just as handsome as you did when you took Kaylee to the ball on Persephone in that outfit."

Mal snorted. "Pants are a little tighter, though I'da' not thought it possible. Hope to heaven I ain't gotta bend down at any time during this shindig."

They laughed together at the mental image Mal's words invoked. "What's so funny?" Adam asked, slipping down into their bunk carefully so as not to scuff his shined shoes.

"Nothin'," Mal replied, giving River a mock warning look. "Just discussin' the pretty fits."

Adam smoothed down his own neatly pressed shirt. "They are pretty, ain't they?" he said.

"Aren't," his mother corrected automatically, reaching out to smooth his unruly hair.

Adam rolled his eyes. "Aren't," he repeated dutifully.

"Yes, they are," Mal said, thinking with pride that his family was indeed a handsome one. "D'you check to see if everybody's in the cargo bay?"

Adam nodded eagerly. "Everybody 'cept Miss Zoe. She said it weren't right for Mr. Jim to see her 'fore they get to the magis….the magi.."

"The magistrate's office," Mal finished for him.

"Yeah, that," Adam said, grinning.

"Well, in that case, best you all be gettin' along then," Mal said, shooing them toward the cargo bay. "Me and Zoe'll be along in a few minutes. It'll give Jim time enough to get situated, what with the standin' and all."

River put Hannah on her hip and took Adam's hand. "We'll be waiting," she said, smiling at him one last time before climbing the ladder to join the others.

Mal watched her leave, and stood for a moment contemplating what the afternoon would hold. Scrubbing his hand through his hair distractedly, he tugged at his tie one more time and went to find Zoe.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	3. Chapter 3

Forward Motion

**Forward Motion**

**Part III—The Wedding**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: The ceremony takes place, and the crew is off to Osiris.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal headed back toward the crew quarters, wondering what was taking Zoe so long. Poised to knock at her hatch, he stopped himself as the hatch swung open and Zoe climbed the ladder out into the corridor. Mal's mouth dropped open slightly as he looked at his first mate and friend.

She lifted one eloquent eyebrow. "You all right, sir?" she asked blandly.

Suddenly aware of his stunned expression, Mal straightened his face back into its normal lines. "Just wonderin' what was takin' so long, but I guess I know now."

"I take it you approve?" she asked, running her hand down the deep red silk of her dress.

"You look gorram good to me, Zoe," Mal said, his voice unnaturally low. "Jim'll never know what hit him."

Zoe winced slightly at his word choice. "Think Jim's been hit enough just lately," she said. "You ever wonder how it is that folks hooked up with us tend to get maimed and such?"

Mal smiled wryly. "Don't usually have occasion to wonder, seein' as how I'm most like to be in the thick of it, gettin' maimed right along with 'em." He paused for a moment. "Sorry I wasn't here when those hundans jumped the both of you on Whittier. Wouldn't have ever gone there if I had known what was like to happen."

Zoe sighed, her beauty marred by a slight frown. "Thing is we don't ever know, do we?"

"S'pose not," Mal replied, his throat tight with a terrible suspicion. "You ever think on settlin' somewhere, leavin' this kinda' life behind?" he asked softly.

Zoe looked at him, startled by the question he'd never once asked before. "You?" she asked.

Mal shook his head. "You first," he said.

Regarding him steadily, she replied, "Home's here. No need to settle elsewhere, so far as I can see."

Mal nodded, the lump in his throat easing considerably with her words. "Me neither. So, where'd you get the necklace?"

Zoe laughed lightly, fingering the exquisite ruby pendant hanging where her leather strings used to be. "Inara thought this might look better with the dress."

Mal made a show of frowning. "So, I guess we can't think on sellin' it after the ceremony."

"Not unless you want to die painfully at Inara's hand," Zoe replied.

"I think not," Mal replied, grinning. "I'll leave that to Jayne. Ain't no way that man's gonna get out of that relationship alive."

Zoe's lips curved into a smile as she walked with Mal toward the cargo bay. "Oh I don't know," she said. "Jayne's been holding his own so far."

"True enough," Mal said. "S'pose there's no accountin' for matters of the heart."

Zoe stopped in her tracks, looking at him with amusement. "That was downright poetical, sir," she said.

"Weddin's do that to me," he replied, grinning.

"Don't seem to recall you bein' very poetical when I married Wash," she said, climbing into the mule now that they had arrived at the cargo bay.

"Well, I was younger then, and foolish," Mal replied, stepping up into the driver's seat. He paused for a moment, looking at Zoe's serene face. "Shoulda' stood with you that day," he said softly.

"Stood with me every other day, and you're still standin' with me today. 'Spect that's more than most folks get in a lifetime," Zoe replied, her brown eyes burning with a soft light.

Mal nodded silently, knowing there was no further need for words on the subject.

Zoe turned to look ahead. "Best we be gettin' there. Don't know how long Jim's legs'll hold."

"Long as they need to, I conjure," Mal replied, gunning the mule forward onto the dusty road.

XXXXXXXXXX

"They're coming," River said, standing up suddenly.

Jayne nodded, looking out the window. "I see the dust cloud Mal's kickin' up with the mule."

Inara sighed, thinking about how carefully she had helped Zoe arrange her hair and how unlikely it was that it would look anything like what she had arranged after a ride with Mal in the mule. Fortunately, she was, as always, prepared. Stepping into a small side room, she set out a tiny grooming kit for the bride-to-be.

Hearing the mule come to a noisy stop outside the small office, Kaylee went to find the magistrate while Jayne and Simon helped Jim to get into place at the small platform that had been prepared. Jim stood unsteadily, weaving like a drunken man on his legs until he found his center of gravity and straightened slowly. "O..ok," he managed to get out.

Simon nodded, stepping back slightly to give the man the illusion of no one hovering nearby. Jayne stood easily at Jim's side, his arms loose and relaxed, ready to steady the groom if needed. River glided into Jim's field of vision, smiling happily and sending him all the calm assurance she could muster, Hannah bouncing happily on her hip.

Adam stood with Anya, who was anxiously looking at the door, hoping to get a glimpse of her mother. Kaylee arrived with the magistrate in tow, looking a little flustered to have been roused from his afternoon nap by such an enthusiastic young woman. Simon gathered Daniel into his arms, keeping one hand free to help steady Jim unobtrusively.

The outer door opened and everyone squinted in the sudden bright light. Zoe appeared, looking surprisingly well-arranged despite the mule ride. Slipping quickly into the side door that Inara held open, she disappeared for a moment to make a few minor adjustments. Mal stood by the door, looking a little uncomfortable in his role of gentleman of honor.

Inara slipped back out the door and gracefully glided to Jayne's side. Just as she arrived at her destination, Zoe reappeared, her hair once again neatly held by a jeweled band at the nape of her neck. She took Mal's proffered arm, walking with a natural grace toward the platform. She glanced at Anya, offering her a small wink as she took the bouquet of wild flowers that Anya had been holding for her. Turning her attention back to the platform, she gazed at Jim, her heart swelling almost painfully in her chest as she observed his carefully structured stance.

As Jim stared at her progress, the room seemed to narrow to the small path in which she walked. He felt suddenly dizzy in a way that had nothing to do with his injuries, and everything to do with the stunning woman who was approaching him at such a sedate pace. He thought that he had never seen Zoe so beautiful as she was in that moment, her eyes lit with a brilliant fire from within and her face so magnificently regal in bearing. He blinked back tears which threatened to spill and prayed to every God he could think of to have the wherewithal to say the words when the time came.

Zoe, for her part, said no prayers. As they approached the small platform, she felt Mal's hand close over her own for a moment, silently assuring her that he was, and always would be, at her side. Acknowledging the gesture with a slight squeeze of his hand, she reached for Jim's elbow with the other one. Supporting him subtly as they turned toward the magistrate, she could see Jayne tense on Jim's other side, prepared for any emergency. Somehow the sight warmed her in a way she could not have imagined a short time ago.

The magistrate, full of all the self-importance that attended his position, cleared his throat. "As the parties involved are now both present, let us begin," he said in solemn tones.

As he droned on in legalese, Mal looked at his crew. Even the children seemed to realize the seriousness of the occasion, barely fidgeting at all despite their constricting clothes. He could feel River's love flowing through him, anchored by her hand resting lightly on his arm. Adam stood, one arm wrapped around Mal's leg, looking up at the adults with wide-eyed curiosity. Mal glanced at Zoe's profile, so composed and breath-taking at the same time. He could see Jim's concentration on remaining upright, the lines around his eyes drawn into sharp focus by the light shining through the window beyond him.

Jayne and Inara stood at Jim's side, looking remarkably as if they had stood together always. Simon and Kaylee stood directly behind Jim and Zoe, Daniel in Simon's arms but still holding on to his mother's dress sleeve with an iron grip. Anya stood slightly to the side, wedged between her mother and Mal and looking altogether too grown up for Mal's piece of mind.

Mal's attention was drawn back to the magistrate as sudden silence fell over the small group. The magistrate was looking at Jim expectantly, and Jim's face was contorting in a disturbing manner. Mal moved to speak, but River's hand stopped him. 'Wait', he heard as distinctly as if she had spoken aloud.

Drawing in a deep breath, Jim angled himself carefully to look directly at Zoe. "I do," he said clearly.

One small tear rolled down Zoe's cheek as she realized the effort that had been expended in that one phrase. The magistrate cleared his throat noisily, sensing that something remarkable had just occurred. "And do you, Zoe Washburne, take this man to be your husband, to love and to cherish and to deeply respect, for as long as you both may live?"

"I do," she said, gazing steadily into Jim's startlingly blue eyes.

Satisfied, the magistrate pronounced them man and wife, hurrying through the rest of the formalities perfunctorily. When the ceremony was completed, he looked to Mal hopefully. "Well then, if there's nothing else…" he said.

"No, we thank you for your work," Mal said, shaking his hand and slipping coin into it at the same time.

The magistrate smiled, palming the coin appreciatively. "I'll register the marriage officially within the hour. The groom, or in this case, maybe the bride, can pick up their certificate then."

Mal nodded. "There a good place to maybe get a bite to eat whilst we wait?"

"Mabel sets a decent table. Her place is right down the street. Sign over the door and all. Can't miss it."

"Much obliged," Mal said, turning to herd the crew in the direction the magistrate had indicated.

"Don't need a fancy meal, sir," Zoe said quietly.

Mal smiled. "Consider it your wedding present. I'm hungry." When Zoe looked worriedly back at Jim, Mal understood. "Best if we get the mule for the newlyweds. Hate to see them all dusty from walking down the road in all their finery."

Jayne nodded, lifting Jim into the mule with no fanfare. Zoe climbed in beside him, gently supporting his weight until he could find his balance.

"I'll drive. I'm not as reckless as some others," Inara volunteered, looking pointedly at the Captain.

"What?" Mal asked. "I got her here in good shape, didn't I?"

Everyone laughed, happy to share in the joy of their crewmates on this important day as they headed toward Mabel's.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal slowly leaned down to take off his boots, barely able to do so with his full stomach. "That magistrate wasn't lyin' when he said Mable puts on a fine spread."

River smiled, licking her lips as she remembered the rhubarb pie that Mabel had set down before her with such a flourish. "It was wonderful," she said, sighing contentedly. "And a nice gesture from our Captain."

Mal shrugged, leaning back against the bulkhead. "Figured it was the least I could do, seein' as how those two have had it so hard for the last little bit."

"It will be better for them," River said, sliding out of her dress and slipping into a more mundane outfit. "Simon is sure of it."

"Wish I was," Mal said drowsily, closing his eyes.

River leaned down to kiss him gently.

Mal stirred slightly. "Take us outta the world," he slurred before burying his head in the pillow.

"Aye, aye, Captain," River whispered as she headed to the bridge to plot their course for Osiris.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	4. Chapter 4

Forward Motion

**Forward Motion**

**Part IV—Doctor's Orders**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: Serenity gets to Osiris, and Mal gets Jim and Zoe settled in.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Serenity is orbiting Osiris as we speak," the young man reported.

"Have they made any contact with Gabriel Tam?" the older man asked.

"None, so far as we know. Of course, Tam has left Capitol City and gone up to his cabin in the outlands."

"When did that happen?" the older man asked sharply.

"Two days ago," the younger man replied crisply.

"Is the cabin covered?"

The younger man winced. "Not as well as the Tam estate, of course. We were not anticipating that he and Mrs. Tam would be going to the cabin. It has been several years since it's been used."

"All the more reason to assume that there is a specific reason they would go there now," the older man snapped.

"I have men covering the area, and I am quite sure that they will be able to detect the Tams' true purpose."

The older man nodded, slightly mollified. "Keep me posted. And let me know the minute that Serenity lands."

"Yes sir," the younger man said, bowing stiffly as he recognized the older man's statement for the dismissal it was.

As soon as he was alone again, the older man sent a wave. "Serenity is in orbit."

"And Reynolds. Do you know his whereabouts?" the blue-gloved man asked evenly.

"I would assume he is on the ship. What are the instructions?" the older man said a trifle acerbically.

"Do you have any idea as to where he will go when the ship lands?"

"One of two places, I believe," the older man said.

"The Tam estate?"

"No," the older man said, leaning back to enjoy his moment in the spotlight. "I believe he will either go to the medical facility with Bowden, or to a cabin in the outlands owned by Gabriel Tam."

"We know the place," the blue-gloved man replied blandly. "Are your people in position?"

"Could be a problem at the cabin," the older man admitted. "We haven't had sufficient time to explore the area."

"Then I would suggest you do so," the blue-gloved man said icily.

"So, if we can, you wish my people to extract him for you immediately?"

The suited man's eyes seemed to the old man to be boring through his head uncomfortably. "No," he said finally. "Your mission is simply to ascertain his correct location and relay it to me. Dong ma?"

The older man nodded, vaguely disappointed by the answer. "Of course," he said, though the screen had already begun to go black.

XXXXXXXXXX

Zoe sat on the edge of Jim's bed. "Looks like we'll be landing in a little while. You ready for this?"

"Mmm hmm," Jim said, not wasting effort on trying to form a more suitable response.

"Simon says that I can pick up my meds and take the treatment course whilst still stayin' with you, if you want," Zoe said softly. "Though he did mention that some of the side-effects might not be so pretty." She paused for a moment. "I could wait to take 'em 'til you're on the mend, if you want."

Jim shook his head emphatically, setting off a wave of nausea that made the room spin. "N..n..now!" he said.

"You think 'cause I married you that you can just order me around?" Zoe said, the curve of her lips letting him know she was trying to lighten the mood.

Aiming carefully, he grasped her hand, squeezing it comfortingly. "To…together," he got out.

"Together," she agreed quietly.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I don't care how much you trust this doctor, you ain't gonna get off this boat in Capitol City," Mal said, his voice reverberating in the small corridor.

"But Mal," Simon said, frustrated. "I can do this so much more easily than you can. I know all the protocols for medication pickup, all the forms to be filled out, the…"

"I got no notion to argue about what's already been decided," Mal said, his jaw a hard line and his nostrils flaring slightly. "You wave this doctor you trust so well, and tell him that you're sending me to pick them up. Dong ma?"

"It would be asking him to do something illegal," Simon replied. "A doctor has to sign for the meds."

Mal looked at him in astonishment. "And you think you can just waltz in there and sign your own gorram name to get them?"

"Why not? There are no open warrants for my arrest now," Simon replied calmly.

"Got a current medical license, do you?" Mal retorted, looming over the shorter man and staring him down.

Simon faltered, realizing that in fact he did not. "Well, I…" he stammered.

"Are stayin' on the boat," Mal finished firmly. "Now tell me how to fill out the forms."

Simon sighed. Gesturing to the vid screen, he pulled up a set of medical request forms and showed Mal what he needed to know.

XXXXXXXXXX

River set Serenity down gently on the docks of Osiris, barely disturbing the air around them. She looked out at the skyline of Capitol City, strangely affected by the sight of her old homeworld. Mal stood beside her. "Best you get down below," he said. "Don't want you out and about long's we're in the City."

River nodded, taking one last look at the familiar scene outside Serenity's window. "Pretty," she said sadly. "But dangerous."

Mal nodded. "Would imagine so," he said. "Not the best place for you and Simon to take a walk about."

"Nor you," River said, shaken suddenly by a vague feeling of alarm.

"I'll be fine," Mal said, only half-listening. "Just a quick run to get Jim and Zoe where they need to go and I'll be right back. And once we're away from the City, we can breathe easier." He turned to give her a quick smile.

She looked at him doubtfully, trying to pin down the nebulous feeling that was making her shiver slightly.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked, noticing her pallor.

"Worried," she said shortly.

"Conjure that's natural, what with coming back here and all," he said, tilting her head upward to look into her eyes.

"You're probably right," she said, shaking herself to dispel the gathering darkness.

"'Course I am," he said, kissing her cheek lightly. "Ain't I always?" He grinned, watching her predictable eye roll. "Don't answer that," he added quickly. "Hate to have to stop to defend my honor when I got all manner of Captainy business to attend to." He turned to go as Jayne entered the bridge. "You ready?"

Jayne nodded, armed with more ordinance than was needed for a small army.

"You know, Jayne, we ain't plannin' to rob this hospital, just gonna drop off Jim and Zoe," Mal said eyeing the mercenary's gear.

"I know," Jayne said, shrugging. "That's why I ain't bringin' Vera."

Mal shook his head and walked toward the infirmary, Jayne following a step behind.

XXXXXXXXXX

"But I want to stay with you," Anya insisted. "I heard Dr. Simon telling you about the side effects of the medication. You're gonna need me."

Zoe shook her head. "There will be plenty of nurses and doctors about to handle anything I need," she said. "And I wouldn't rest easy if I didn't think you were somewhere safe."

Anya frowned. "You don't think the hospital will be safe?"

Zoe sighed. "I'm sure the hospital will be just fine, Anya. But I want to know that you're with the Captain. And besides," she added, smiling. "You'll like it up at the cabin. Miss River says it's beautiful."

"But you won't be there," Anya said sadly. After a moment, she suggested, "Maybe you could take your medicine at the cabin, with Dr. Simon. Then we could both help you."

"And leave your uncle at the hospital alone?" Zoe asked logically. "Would you want him to be all alone right now?"

Anya sighed heavily. "No," she said softly. "He's too sick."

"That's right. And I'm gonna be with him to help him get better," Zoe said, stroking the girl's long blonde hair soothingly. "And when you and I see each other again, me and your Uncle Jim are both gonna be much better. Dong ma?"

Anya nodded. "Can I maybe come and see you at the hospital?"

"You'll have to take that up with Captain Mal," Zoe replied. "But if he thinks its okay, I'm sure he'll bring you."

"I'll persuade him," Anya said, smiling.

"Most probably," Zoe said, returning the smile with one of her own.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal walked up to the window, all the arrogant confidence of the medical elite in his demeanor. The woman behind the window straightened slightly from her task and the window slid open with a slight hiss. "Can I help you?" she asked, her tone somewhere between bored and obsequious.

Mal nodded. "I'm here to pick up medication for Zoe Bowden."

The woman nodded disinterestedly and typed commands onto a terminal. Reading the screen, she said, "You'll have to fill out the yellow forms on that counter over there, and the RS79."

Mal thought quickly, not remembering an RS79 in the forms Simon had shown him. "The RS79 is…" he said.

The woman barely concealed her irritation. "The pink one on the far right."

"Of course," Mal said, stepping over to the counter as if he'd done this hundreds of times. To his relief, the yellow forms were basically the same ones that Simon had carefully shown him, and the pink form was a standard requisition form. Signing his pseudo-doctor's name with a flourish, he handed her the papers. She glanced at them quickly, annoyed to be bothered with it all. Stamping the forms, she slid one of them back across the counter. "That's your copy," she said, as if he were a dimwitted child. "Have a seat, and someone will bring the medication up in a few minutes."

Mal made a great show of looking at his watch. "I have to get this patient processed," he said, motioning vaguely toward the corridor, where Jayne and Zoe stood beside Jim's wheelchair.

The woman nodded. "Go ahead, the meds will be here when you get back."

Mal gave her a dazzling smile, momentarily breaking through her apathy as he walked out the door.

XXXXXXXXX

Several hours later, Jim and Zoe were settled into a room, exhausted and well beyond irritated. "Knew there was some reason I hated Core worlds," Zoe muttered darkly.

"You mean, other than purplebellies around every corner?" Jayne said sarcastically, wishing for a reason to use some of his weapons in the altogether too brightly lit, vaguely antiseptic room.

"Well, there is that," Mal said dryly, filling out the last required form. "But on the other hand, this is state-of- the-art medicine, according to Simon. I'd say it is worth it, all things considered."

"Might be because you're not going to spend the next month pukin' up your guts or having your head examined," Zoe replied blandly, causing Jim to snort with laughter.

"Could be that's it," Mal said, smiling. "That bein' said, I conjure it's time for us to leave so's you can get started with all that." His tone was light, but Zoe, ever aware of his thoughts, knew that he was more than a little concerned as he took his leave. Looking back over his shoulder to catch her eye, he said, "I'll be back to check on you soon's everyone's settled at the cabin."

Zoe nodded, watching silently as the door slid shut. She could hear the thump of Jayne's boots going down the corridor as she turned to Jim. "Well, here we are," she said, sliding into bed beside him carefully.

With great effort, Jim slipped his arm around her and pulled her closer to his warmth. Sighing, Zoe laid her head lightly on his shoulder, thinking about the uphill battle they would begin in the morning.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	5. Chapter 5

Forward Motion

**Forward Motion**

**Part V—Reunion**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: Zoe begins the course of treatment, Jim begins physical therapy, and BlueSun makes its move.

XXXXXXXXXX

River paced the length of the cargo bay like a caged panther. "I'm sure they're fine, mei mei," Simon said for the third time. "Things just tend to move slowly in the hospital bureaucracy. They're probably still filling out forms."

"Should be back by now," she muttered. "Told him to be careful. There's something …

something dark and cold…."

A shiver ran down Simon's spine. He'd long since learned to pay attention to River's ramblings when she got like this. "What, River? What do you see?"

She looked at him wildly for a moment and then her face relaxed into a more natural expression. "Not clear…muffled, like seeing through gauze or hearing through cotton. Just…bad. Dangerous."

Just as Simon opened his mouth to answer her, River turned toward the door and smiled with relief. "They're coming," she said, running to lower the ramp.

Within minutes, Mal and Jayne arrived, looking altogether annoyed. As soon as the mule came to a stop, River jumped into Mal's lap, wrapping her arms around him. "Well now," he said, smiling. "That kinda' takes the sting outta havin' to wait for the hospital's wheels to turn a mite. I take it you're happy to see me?"

River made a face. "Was scared," she said accusingly.

Jayne snorted. "No need. I was with 'im."

Mal cocked one eyebrow. "As if I couldn't handle it fine alone."

Cutting in before Jayne could think of a witty retort, Simon asked, "So, they're all settled?"

"Yep," Mal said, nodding as he climbed out of the mule. "And the medical staff said they'll start the treatments tomorrow morning."

Simon nodded his head, reassured. "And you spoke with Dr. Napier?"

"That I did," Mal replied. "Followed your list to the letter. He seemed impressed."

"So, we goin' now, or what?" Jayne asked.

"See no reason for us to stay in the City," Mal replied. "River, is there a place near the cabin where we can leave Serenity, or do we need to take the shuttles?"

"The cabin is equipped with a private port," River said. "Our father used it to come and go to work when we vacationed there in the summers."

Mal nodded. "Good enough. Take us there."

River made for the bridge, all too happy to comply and put as much distance between them and Capitol City as possible.

XXXXXXXXXX

The blue-gloved man looked at the vid screen, watching Serenity take off in the early evening light. "Headed for the cabin," he observed quietly.

"No doubt," his similarly clad companion answered. "Pity he had the large man with him in the hospital. Would have been a prime opportunity otherwise."

The first man shrugged. "The cabin is isolated. Easy enough to extract him there." He paused for a moment. "Or perhaps he will come back to the city to see to his ailing crew. Then we would not run the risk of triggering his wife."

"That is a valid point to consider," the other man said dryly. "She is still quite...impressive, despite the corruption of her programming."

The first man nodded, and they stood together in silence watching Serenity's progress on the small screen.

XXXXXXXXXX

Simon looked at the scene before him, stunned. He had never actually heard his mother squeal before. But Regan did just that when she saw her granddaughter Hannah. "River, she looks just like you," she said a little breathlessly. "Can I... can I hold her?"

River handed Hannah to her gracefully and the little girl looked up at her grandmother with huge, dark eyes as Regan cooed in a most nonsensical way. Adam and Daniel stood back a little, watching the goings-on with trepidation. Suddenly remembering that she had two other grandchildren, she held out her arms welcomingly. "And my boys," she gushed. "How you've both grown!"

Gabriel, ever more formal than his wife, stood inches behind her, smiling slightly as he welcomed the adults.

"I thank you kindly for arranging things for Zoe and Jim," Mal said, shaking his hand.

"The least I could do, considering what you've all been through," Gabriel replied. "I certainly don't envy you the life you lead."

"It can be a mite more interesting sometimes than I like," Mal acknowledged. "Still, I don't think I'd trade it for living dirtside." He looked around at the opulence of the dwelling that River and Simon had referred to as a "cabin". "'Course, if there was a place like this to come home to, I conjure I could be persuaded."

Gabriel glanced around him, proud of his retreat. "Regan has been working steadily since we got here to make things acceptable," he said. "I've been rather amazed at her. In all the years we've been married, I never knew she was such a hand at cooking and cleaning."

"Don't get used to it," Regan said lightly, setting off a round of good-natured chuckles among the adults. She added, "It was just that we thought it would be better to come alone, and leave the servants at home. Safer, you know."

River nodded. "Very wise," she said solemnly, pleased that her mother seemed to have acquired a more sharply honed survival instinct since last they'd met. Unbidden to her mind came the thought that she would probably need it. Trying to shake the feeling, she stepped inside the cabin and back into memories of her years before the Academy.

XXXXXXXXXX

"You were very quiet back there," Mal said quietly later that evening. "Everything shiny?"

River nodded her head, tickling his bare chest with her hair. "Strange to come back here. Everything's the same, and I'm so…different."

Mal stroked the silky skin of her back slowly. "'Magine it is," he said softly. "I've wondered on the odd occasion what it would have been like to go back to Shadow after the war, if there'd been anything to go back to. Can only figure that it would have been strange to me too."

"Never going to be the people we were before," River said, a note of sadness in her voice.

Mal touched her chin, tilting it up to look into her eyes. "If we were those people, we wouldn't be lyin' here now." He thought for a moment, and smiled crookedly. "Well, you mighta' been lyin' here now, but it wouldn't have been with me."

"Then I'm glad we're not those people," River said as her lips brushed gently against his.

Mal's answer was swallowed by her kiss.

XXXXXXXXXX

Zoe leaned her head weakly against the steel basin, breathing shallowly. Thinking that the cure might be worse than the disease, she felt her muscles tense once again as a dry heave shook her body. She closed her eyes and tried to breathe normally so as not to disturb Jim.

Jim watched her, aching to help her in some way. She'd only taken two doses of the medication so far, and the effect on her was violent in its intensity. The doctor, sympathetic to her condition, had assured them both that the treatment, while harsh, was the very best of its kind anywhere in the Core. Somehow that thought was not immediately comforting as Jim observed her suffering helplessly.

Concentrating carefully, he forced his fingers to press the button for the nursing staff and in short minutes, a cheery nurse entered the room and knelt beside Zoe. "Mrs. Bowden," she said gently, "Let me help you up."

Zoe, too nauseous to answer, nodded weakly and allowed the nurse to pull her up slowly. Angling her patient to a chair, the nurse said kindly, "It might be better if you don't lie down just yet. Some of our patients find lying down to increase the nausea."

Zoe closed her eyes, not remotely able to imagine how the terrible feeling could be increased regardless of her position. Setting a clean basin before her, the nurse turned to Jim. "The next two days will be the worst," she said quietly. "After that, her system will slowly become accustomed to the meds and she will be better able to tolerate them."

"Good to know," Zoe croaked hoarsely, wiping a shaky hand across her clammy brow.

The nurse nodded. "Is there anything I can get for you while I'm here, Mr. Bowden?"

"N..n..no," Jim replied after a long moment.

"All right then," she said briskly. "Call if either of you need anything else."

Zoe nodded and instantly regretted the movement as another dry heave wracked her body. "When," she rasped. "When will Jim's therapy start?"

"The neurotherapist should be here soon," the nurse replied, glancing at the chronometer. "Today will probably be spent in testing to see what areas need the most attention, and then, depending on his findings, actual therapy should start tomorrow."

Jim made a noise which the nurse corrected interpreted as thanks. "You're welcome, Mr. Bowden," she said, smiling sunnily. Turning back to Zoe, she added, "And be sure to call me when you feel able to get back into bed. We wouldn't want you to take a tumble."

"No, we wouldn't," Zoe agreed weakly as she listened to the sound of the nurse's steps receding down the hallway.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal looked out at the spectacular view from the front porch of the cabin. A small distance away, he could make out Adam hanging from his knees in a tree and laughing delightedly at the way the world looked upside down.

Anya was close by, playing with the smaller children in a little shaded spot, while River and her mother watched on. Simon and Kaylee were noticeably absent, having headed out earlier to revisit an old hiding spot of Simon's from childhood. Mal was fairly certain how they would be christening the spot, as it was a rare thing for them to find time completely alone now that Daniel had arrived.

Inara stepped out onto the porch behind him, her skirts rustling slightly on the floorboards. "It's lovely here, isn't it?" she said.

"It is," Mal replied. "Peaceful."

Inara sat down beside him. "You're bored out of your mind, aren't you?"

Mal looked at her in surprise. Then, grinning slightly, he admitted, "Two weeks of this is just about my limit. Not used to bein' idle for that long."

Inara nodded. "Jayne went hunting this morning. He said something about cabin fever and left at dawn." Mal nodded and they sat in silence for a few minutes. "So," Inara said. "When are you leaving?"

"For where?" Mal asked, trying to look innocent.

Inara rolled her eyes. "For Capitol City," she said. "I know you're anxious to see how Zoe and Jim are progressing."

"Thought I'd take a shuttle this afternoon. Just sorta sneak in and out. No big production."

"Would you mind doing me a favor?" Inara asked. Mal looked at her curiously. "I need some paints, and I know a little art supply store very close to the hospital. I've made a list, if you wouldn't mind."

She drew a small piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to him with a smile. "Anything else?" he asked, glancing down the list.

"Nothing comes to mind," Inara said. "But there are just so many colors here, so many things that I'd like to capture on paper."

"Then I'd best get to it," Mal said, getting up with a little groan at the slight twinge in his knees. "Don't want to stand in the way of a woman's career."

Inara snorted lightly. "Well now, that's a change," she said, giving him a saucy smile.

Mal grinned at her. "How does Jayne put up with you, I wonder?" he said lightly, heading down to the shady spot to tell River his plan.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal set the shuttle down on the Capitol City public dock and headed for the hospital. Eager to check on Zoe and Jim for himself, he walked rapidly down the crowded street. Unlike the Eavesdowne docks on Persephone, the Capitol City streets were not dusty and littered with filth, and Mal felt slightly uneasy in the homogenized atmosphere.

Glancing at the paper Inara had given him, he looked for the address of the art supply store, intending to stop there on his way back to the cabin after leaving the hospital. Thus occupied, he did not see the two men fall into step several feet behind him, their suits making them blend in with the vast majority of people around him, heading to their various destinations.

However, in a moment, Mal turned, looking into the crowds carefully, feeling as if he were being watched. Seeing no one that looked out of the ordinary, he turned back around, walking toward the hospital while casually resting his hand close to his gun. "Pardon me, sir," a woman said, stepping into his line of sight. "Would you happen to have the time?"

Mal opened his mouth to answer, but no sound came out as he crumpled to the ground in a boneless heap. Smiling thinly, the woman nodded to the two suited men and turned sharply on her heel to vanish into the crowds. Gathering up the unconscious Captain, the two men followed her path silently, leaving nothing behind to indicate they had ever been there.

XXXXXXXXXX

At the cabin, River jumped up from her chair, overturning her drink in the process. Regan reached out for her. "River, dear, what's the matter?" she asked, unaccountably frightened by the look on River's face.

"Mal," River said hoarsely.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	6. Chapter 6

Forward Motion

**Forward Motion**

**Part VI—BlueSun Laboratories**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: Mal wakes up to a disconcerting situation.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal slowly opened one eye and immediately closed it again, the bright white light of the room stabbing into the mass of throbbing pain that was his head. His mouth was parched bone-dry and he swallowed thickly. He heard somewhere behind him the faint rustle of movement and wondered dimly where he was.

Wherever he was, he figured it was not going to be pleasant, being as how most genial hosts don't kidnap their guests first. He shivered, becoming suddenly aware that he was naked as the day he came crying and lying on something that was very cold. He flattened his hand out, feeling the smooth metal surface, and he realized he was lying on some sort of examination table. Cursing silently, he wiggled a bit and found his range of motion severely limited by restraints at neck, chest, wrists, knees, and ankles. Whoever had him intended him to be pretty gorram helpless, he thought bitterly.

Once again he opened his eyes and looked around as much as he could manage. The view did not tell him much, other than that whatever was taking place was happening outside his field of vision. Again he heard the faint rustle of movement behind him and wondered if he should reveal that he was awake. Deciding to delay that as long as possible, he closed his eyes again and lay perfectly still in the hopes that he would hear something to tell him what the diyu was going on.

Outside the white room, two employees of BlueSun Laboratories sat watching through a transparency. "He's awake," the first one said with the barest trace of surprise.

The second one nodded. "Should have been out for another hour, at least. We'll either have to use the tube again, or sedate him."

The first one considered the options carefully. "Using the tube again so soon might cause hemorrhaging, even on the lowest of the new settings. Safer to sedate him."

"But sedation will skew the readings, won't it?"

"Not if the drug is monitored precisely," the first man answered. "And given an access point, we can maintain the sedation for as long as needed."

The second man nodded, satisfied with the change in the protocol. "I'll note the change in the system," he said, turning to enter the new data into his terminal as the first man moved to a refrigerated medication dispensary.

Preparing a very carefully calculated dosage of the sedative, he pushed the intercom. "Come," he said simply.

The technician who had been moving around behind Mal moved swiftly to the door, leaving Mal completely alone in the cold, sterile room.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jayne stepped into the living area of the cabin, where the others were anxiously waiting. His grim expression told them what they had feared. "Zoe said he never showed up," he said. "She and Jim have basically been in their room the whole time, and he never came."

River rose from her chair, now focused and sharp as a sword's blade despite her earlier disorientation. "We have to go…now."

"Go where?" Gabriel asked with alarm. "Do you have any idea how large Capitol City is?"

River gave him a withering look. "I do," she said, her voice unnaturally flat. "Was born there, remember?"

Gabriel reached for her arm, undeterred by her expression. "I do indeed remember," he said, using his best fatherly tone of authority. "But it is useless to try to find him if he's gone missing there, at least until we have some idea where to start looking."

Simon spoke in the sudden stillness. "Do you, River? Do you have an idea of where to look?"

"If you are asking if I can see what's happened, the answer is no," she said. "Just dark edges, as if someone is…..interfering with my abilities somehow. Makes everything like a bad comm connection. Bits and pieces."

"Who would have the know-how to do that?" Jayne asked, his brow wrinkled.

River stared at Simon until he replied. "The people who did this to her originally," he said slowly, his mouth suddenly very dry. "They would understand the mechanisms at work."

"You mean to say…BlueSun?" Kaylee asked with dread in her voice.

River nodded shortly, heading for the door.

"Wait," Regan said, catching her daughter's arm. "You can't just go and knock on their door and ask if they have your husband. You can't go to them, River. There's no telling what…." She paused, aware of the children hanging on every word. "You just can't go."

River shook off her mother's arm. "I can't not," she said, willing the other woman to understand. It's Mal."

Jayne nodded, having heard all he needed to hear. "You fly the shuttle. I ain't that good with it yet," he said, pushing past Inara to get his gear.

"I'll go with you," Simon said. "He might….need a doctor."

"No," River answered, surprising everyone. "You stay here, with the children. If they come here…" She looked at him bleakly. "Inara can fly Serenity. Get everyone out."

Simon swallowed nervously, but did not argue as he watched his sister prepare to do battle once again with BlueSun.

XXXXXXXXXX

Anya sat in the swing on the front porch, swaying slightly as she stared at her toes. "Mind if I sit down?" Kaylee asked from the door.

Anya shook her head, sliding over to make room for her. Kaylee sat for a long moment, looking out at the beautiful view. "It's all gonna be shiny," she said finally.

Anya looked at her incredulously. "How can you say that?" she asked. "Mama and Uncle Jim are in the hospital, Captain Mal is missing, and Miss River and Mr. Jayne are all alone trying to make everything right. How can it all be shiny?" Hot tears fell down her cheeks.

Kaylee put her arm around the young girl. "Well, let's think about it," she said gently, though her own heart was fluttering wildly with the current change of circumstances. "Your Mama and Jim are in the finest hospital on Osiris, getting the best care anywhere. And as for the Cap'n, well, if I was missin', I can't think of anybody I'd rather come and get me than River and Jayne."

Anya wiped the tears away, trying desperately not to sniffle. "It's just that everything's so……" She fumbled for the words.

Kaylee hugged her tightly. "I know," she said. And the two sat silently on the swing for a long time.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jim walked determinedly across the hospital room on his eighteenth circuit. Each day he was becoming more and more stable, no longer dizzy at the mere thought of movement thanks to a combination of drugs and intensive physical therapy. Zoe lay on her bed watching his progress, though her mind was very far away.

He stopped beside her bed, squeezing her hand on the first try. She looked up at him and smiled slightly. "That's real good," she observed.

He stared at her intently. "M...M…Mal," he said.

"Inara waved to say that Jayne and River are on their way," Zoe said quietly. "Once they get here, I'll go out with them to search."

Jim shook his head slowly. "C..can't," he said forcefully.

Zoe chose to misunderstand him. "I know that you can't. Nobody's expectin' you to…"

Jim glared at her, knowing full well she understood his meaning. "Y..y..you can't."

"I ain't like to just sit here whilst some hundan does who knows what to the Captain," Zoe said, swinging her legs off the bed. She was instantly reminded of why she had been lying down as a wave of nausea washed over her. She gripped the edge of the bed firmly, white-knuckled with the effort.

"S..s..slow them d..d…down," Jim said, pushing her until she leaned back against the pillow.

Zoe closed her eyes, knowing that Jim was technically right. Even if she could manage to get up and walk around, she was in no shape to handle whatever go se Mal had managed to step into. And she had a strong suspicion that River would not slow her pace to allow Zoe to catch up where the Captain was concerned.

"R…res..t," Jim said, pleased to see her relent for once and knowing he would not be able to stop her if she persisted in her stubbornness.

"Just for a few minutes," Zoe answered, though her body was beginning to drag her under yet again.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal heard the door open behind him and he tensed instinctively, waiting for a blow of some sort. Into his field of vision swam a man dressed as some kind of lab technician, his clothes so gleamingly white as to be offensive to Mal's newly photosensitive eyes. "Who are you?" he asked as the technician stood over him.

Giving no sign that he had heard the question, the technician wheeled a tray to the side of Mal's table. Mal could see several vials of something there, along with sharp needles and tubing of various sizes. To his dismay, he also saw something with which he was unfortunately well familiar. A row of silver needles, thicker than the others and attached to a bank of monitors let him know who he was dealing with. Preparing himself for the agony of the probes that would be inserted into his skull, he tensed. "Haven't you people done enough of this to me for one lifetime?" he ground out.

The technician looked at him blankly for a moment before swabbing his restrained arm with something cold and wet. "Gorram it," Mal said as the first needle went into his arm, sending a burning sensation through his veins as the medicinal cocktail was pushed into his bloodstream.

The technician looked at the chronometer on the wall and made a brief note on his data pad while Mal cursed. Then, taking another needle, he pressed it into the side of Mal's neck, causing Mal to grunt in pain as the burn coursed through his body. A voice came over the intercom. "Adjust the rate of the drip to 5 cc's per hour once the serum is injected."

The technican nodded in the general direction of the door and did as he was told. Mal began to feel a lassitude in his limbs, as if he was beginning to disappear piece by piece. He fought to hold his eyes open. "What is it you people want?" he said, slurring his words as his world faded to black.

XXXXXXXXXX

Checking the Captain's vital signs, the technician nodded. "He's under," he said.

"Excellent," the first blue-gloved man said. He looked at his own data, scrolling across the screen. "Order of stimuli confirmed."

The second man replied, "The device has been calibrated and verified. We can begin."

Turning back to the technician, the first man said, "Administer the first ampoule."

The technician held the small vial to the light, admiring for a moment the glowing red liquid inside before drawing it into a syringe and injecting it into the port inserted into Mal's neck. Emptying the contents, he tossed the syringe aside and made a note on his data pad.

XXXXXXXXXX

Adam tugged on Gabriel's pant leg. "Gotta wave Mama," he said, his wide blue eyes filled with urgency.

Gabriel swept the small boy up into his arms. "We don't need to disturb your mother right now," he said gently. "She's gone to find your father."

"Gotta tell her something;" Adam insisted.

"About what?" Gabriel asked.

"About Daddy," Adam whispered. "They made him go to sleep. And then he woke up. And then they made him go back to sleep again, with…" Adam gulped loudly. "With big needles."

Gabriel looked at his grandson in surprise. "You can see that?" he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Adam nodded. "Hurts," he said. "When they make his sleep, it hurts him." He paused for a moment, caught by something that seemed familiar, though he could not place it. "Two by two, hands of blue," he said in a sing-song voice.

Genuine fear ran down Gabriel's spine at the confirmation of BlueSun's involvement. Sitting down heavily with Adam still in his arms, he said, "Can you…can you see where your father is?"

"He doesn't know," Adam said. "Even before he fell asleep, he didn't know. Just white, all around him."

Gabriel nodded encouragingly. "We'll wave your mother now, and you can tell her what you told me."

Adam nodded gratefully, trusting fully as all small children do, that Mama would know what to do.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	7. Chapter 7

Forward Motion

**Forward Motion**

**Part VII—Hide and Seek**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: Adam talks to his mother, and River and Jayne get to Capitol City to begin their search.

XXXXXXXXXX

"You shouldn't wave," River said sternly to her father. "Isn't safe."

Gabriel protested. "I wouldn't have, but Adam….well, Adam is….seeing something. Something that might be important."

Adam's face appeared onscreen. "Mama," he said, relief in his voice. "It's Daddy. He's in a room, a big, cold, white room."

River's mouth went dry. "Can you see him now?"

Adam thought hard for a moment. "No," he said. "Can't hear him in my head either. But I did hear him. There was a man all in white, and needles." The little boy gulped, his eyes wide with worry for his father. "And the needles hurt Daddy, and then I couldn't hear him anymore."

River swallowed back a cry of her own. "All right, Adam," she said as steadily as she could. "I'll find him."

"I could come," Adam said bravely. "Maybe I could help you find him."

"No," River said, the sharp note in her tone startling her son. She looked at Gabriel. "No matter what happens, you can not bring Adam here."

"But perhaps if he can see something that you can't…" Gabriel began, lines of worry etching his face.

"No," River said, her tone brooking no further discussion. "Cannot risk Adam for any reason, not even for…." She paused, unwilling to finish the sentence with Adam listening. "Dong ma?"

Gabriel nodded slowly, seeing in his daughter's eyes the terrible choice she was being forced to make. "We'll keep Adam safe," he said hoarsely.

River nodded, acknowledging her father's words. Turning back to Adam, she said, "You've done well, baby mine. And I'll be back as soon as I can. Love you."

Adam smiled shakily. "Love you too, Mama," he said. "And when you find Daddy, tell him I love him too."

Hardly able to push the words out past the lump in her throat, River said, "I will."

XXXXXXXXXX

The BlueSun employee listened intently to the communication coming through his earpiece for several minutes. Turning to his companion, he said, "River Tam is in a shuttle bound for Capitol City as we speak."

"Alone?" his companion asked.

"Apparently the mercenary who was with Reynolds when he dropped his crew at the hospital is now with her. Shouldn't be a problem, I should think."

The second man thought for a moment. "Do you suppose she has somehow broken through the shield?"

"I believe not," the first man replied. "She seems to be acting on vague suppositions as opposed to any real idea of where we are. However," he paused, his thin lips drawn into a sharp line. "She will be looking for a laboratory."

"What makes you think so?"

The first man smiled a cold, reptilian smile. "We intercepted a communication between Gabriel Tam's cabin cortex link and her shuttle. It would seem that she has passed on her unique gifts to her son, at least to some degree."

The second man smiled as well. "That is an interesting development," he observed. "A second generation Reader could be invaluable to the program."

"My thoughts exactly," the first man said. "However, first things first. How goes our current experiment?"

"We're getting very clear readings from the subject. Most of what we have recorded can definitely be used effectively."

"Excellent," the first man said. "And you are monitoring his sedation carefully?"

"Just as we agreed," the second man confirmed crisply.

Scrolling through the results coming in from the monitors attached to Mal, the first man nodded. Glancing at the chronometer, he said, "The second set of stimuli can be administered soon."

"Fourteen minutes, thirty-five seconds, to be exact," the second man agreed.

"Very well," the first man said, walking toward the door. "You oversee the second set, and I will see to River Tam." He thought for a moment. "And her child."

XXXXXXXXXX

Gabriel and Simon stood on the porch, leaning against the railing and talking quietly so as not to disturb the children on the front lawn.

"Why would Adam be able to see what River obviously could not?" Gabriel asked. "I thought that the Academy had honed her abilities, not blunted them."

Simon sighed. "I believe otherwise," he said. "Perhaps they were trying to hone her skills, but they succeeded only in making her unstable in the process."

"So her abilities are always this muted?" Gabriel asked.

"No," Simon replied quickly. "Something else is at work here. It could well be that they have found some way to interfere with her capabilities, some kind of shield perhaps."

"Then why could Adam see what was happening?"

Simon shook his head slowly, thinking it through. "An effective shield to prevent a Reader from using his or her abilities would have to be somewhat specific in its design. Differences in brain chemistry, some subtle, others not so subtle, make us who we are. Perhaps what would work as a shield against River's abilities would be ineffective against Adam's."

"But he's her son," Gabriel said. "Surely there could not be that much of a difference."

Simon looked at his father with one raised eyebrow. "I'm her brother, and I am not a Reader. And Adam's father is not a Reader, at least not in the same way that River is. Unless Adam was a clone of River, there would, of necessity, be important differences in their brain chemistry, and hence, in their abilities."

Gabriel nodded, seeing the logic of what his son had surmised. "So, what do we do now?"

Simon sighed, watching his son toddle over to Kaylee in the soft grass. "Wish I knew," he said softly.

XXXXXXXXXX

Zoe awoke with a start, her heart hammering wildly in her chest. Jim looked at her carefully from his bed, trying to ascertain whether he needed to call for a nurse again. Zoe looked at him, consciously slowing her breathing as she tried to project calm

"What time is it?" she asked.

Jim glanced at the chronometer on the wall, quickly trying to decipher what the numbers and symbols meant. "F..Four," he said finally.

"Four?" Zoe said, easing her legs off the bed and pulling on a robe slowly. "You should have gotten me up an hour ago. River and Jayne will be here soon."

Jim shook his head, not at all repentant. "Aw..aw…already b...been," he said.

Zoe willed herself not to throttle him in his weakened condition. "They have already been here and you didn't think to wake me up?" she said, anger just beneath her clipped tone.

Jim returned her glare in kind. "N..no n.need," he said. "Too w..w..weak anyw..way."

"That was my call to make," Zoe replied in a low tone even though the reasonable part of her mind knew Jim was right. She sank back down on her bed tiredly. "Therapist come whilst I was sleeping?" Jim grimaced in answer. "Make you do the stretching exercises?"

"Y..yes," Jim said, somehow managing to convey a long-suffering tone.

Zoe nodded. "Good," she said. "Serves you right for not waking me."

"E..ev..evil," Jim said, frowning.

"You have no idea," Zoe replied.

Jim snorted in response.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal dreamed restlessly, pushing through the carcasses piled at his feet in Serenity Valley, driven to forward motion by some unknown force. The nightmare was old, but the faces were new. To his right he could see a young man who looked hauntingly familiar and he stopped for a moment, trying to place him. With a muffled cry, he realized it was Adam, impossibly grown to be a soldier under his command. Dropping to his knees beside him, Mal held the man-child in his arms. "Adam?" he asked, his voice cracking.

The young man's eyes flickered open, and Mal saw the bright blue of his own eyes staring back at him. The man Adam struggled to speak past the oily blood trickling down his throat, and Mal leaned forward to hear. "Why?" Adam asked. "Why?"

Mal opened his mouth to answer, but Adam's face morphed into that of a stranger. Laying the body carefully down on the hard ground, Mal looked up and saw that the landscape had changed, the bloody mud of Serenity Valley giving way to the pristine streets of Miranda, empty of life and filled with an overpowering sense of dread. He rose silently, walking in the oppressive silence, looking at the evidence of the horrifying truth River had uncovered there. He stumbled forward, gagging as he came upon the corpses of Wash and Book, decaying under Miranda's harsh sun.

"Why?" he heard behind him. Whirling quickly, he saw a raven-haired girl standing in the middle of the broad street, her dress billowing in the fetid breeze. Though he did not know how it could be, he realized it was Hannah, years older than she was in the 'verse as he knew it. "Why?" she repeated, her large eyes so expressive, so very much like River's.

He held out his arms. "Hannah," he said hoarsely.

The girl looked at him solemnly for a long moment. Then, more quickly than seemed humanly possible, she turned on her heels and ran.

He stumbled after her but she soon disappeared. "Gone." River's voice floated around him and he wheeled to try to find her.

"River?" he asked hesitantly. "River, where are you?"

"Gone," came the answer. "Like all the others."

"No," Mal yelled, dropping to his knees as if pole-axed. "Can't be."

"Gone," the voice repeated, fading a little at the edges.

Mal fought to wake up, some part of his brain understanding that this was a dream, a nightmare he could be spared if he could just wake up. Dimly, he felt the cold steel of a metal table beneath his body. Holding carefully to that sensation, he fought toward consciousness, desperate to leave the nightmare landscape behind. He felt the sharp stab of something in the musculature of his thigh. Inexorably, he felt himself fading back down in the hell from which he had just come.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Nobody saw anything," Jayne said, leaning against the shuttle's exterior tiredly. "Ain't a soul between here and that art supply place that even admitted to seeing him."

River nodded. "I found nothing either," she said in a strained voice.

"So, what're we gonna do?" Jayne asked. "I mean, you got any ideas, now we're closer to where he might be?"

"A lab," River said. "He has to be in a lab."

"Or at least he was in one when Adam picked up on it," Jayne said. "Don't mean he's there now." When River remained silent, he added, "And it ain't like there aren't labs out the wazoo in this city. Just where we gonna start?"

Drawing herself up to her full height, River said, "At the beginning."

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	8. Chapter 8

Forward Motion

**Forward Motion**

**Part VIII—Fight or Flight**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: While River and Jayne continue their search of the city, trouble comes to the cabin.

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Kaylee tinkered busily with Serenity's auxiliary fuel lines. Though the cabin and its lush surroundings were beautiful, she found herself drawn back to the ship to have something constructive to do to pass the time. Waiting was the most terrible thing, she thought, whacking a stubborn bolt with her wrench.

Daniel sat in the corner of the engine room, playing contentedly with a toy that Simon had unearthed from a trunk in the attic of the cabin. Too young to be plagued with the worries that the others felt, he was happily working on taking the toy apart and putting it back together with his clever little hands.

Suddenly, she heard a commotion coming from the general direction of the cargo bay. Quickly wiping grease from her hands, she picked up Daniel and headed to find out what was going on.

"Kaylee," Simon called, relief evident in every line of his body when she peered over the catwalk railing. "We've been looking for you." The others from the cabin were quickly coming up the ramp behind him.

Kaylee frowned. "Didn't know anyone needed me, so I decided to work on my girl a little."

Simon's brow wrinkled in concern. "There's nothing wrong with Serenity, is there?" he asked quickly.

"No," Kaylee answered. "Simon, what's wrong?"

"We have to go," Simon said. Turning to be sure everyone was aboard, he asked Kaylee, "Is Serenity ready to break atmo now?"

"No," Kaylee said, coming down the stairs quickly. "But she can be in about twenty minutes. Why? What's going on?"

"I think they're coming here," Simon said, lowering his voice so as not to add to the tense atmosphere in the cargo bay. "We found some…monitoring devices in the cabin, and….well, Adam saw something."

"What?" Kaylee asked, her heart hammering wildly.

"Men, in suits," Simon said.

Kaylee drew in a sharp breath. "BlueSun," she said.

Simon nodded. "Not here yet, as far as I could tell, but I don't think we should take any chances. Especially with the others gone and the children here."

Kaylee nodded, handing him Daniel. "I'll go warm up the engine."

Inara touched Simon's shoulder. "Where will we go?" she asked. "What course do I set?"

Simon frowned. "For now, just away," he said. "We'll worry about the destination when we can contact River."

Inara nodded, heading to the bridge quickly.

"There are a few things we can get from the cabin that might be useful," Gabriel offered. "If we have twenty minutes…"

Simon nodded. "That's good. Gather up what you can and get back here quickly. I don't know how much time we actually have before they come."

Adam looked up at his uncle solemnly. "Not long," he said, grasping Simon's hand tight.

Simon suppressed the cold sliver of dread that ran down his spine at the child's words.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Nothin' but a group of workers, far as I can tell," Jayne said when he arrived back at their rendezvous point. "You see anything different?"

"No," River answered. "I don't believe he's here."

Jayne looked around quickly, the hair on his neck prickling. "Think we're bein' watched," he said quietly.

"Two men behind us, and a woman twenty yards ahead," River replied just as quietly.

"What we gonna do with that information?" Jayne asked, casually fingering Vera.

"Keep one of them alive," River replied. "Then extract the information we need."

Jayne grinned, happy with the thought of imminent violence after such a long and fruitless search. "Sounds like a plan."

The two walked along the street, blending in with the foot traffic and awaiting an opportunity. When the two men came closer, River gracefully turned into a narrow alleyway, Jayne following right behind.

Seeing a chance to apprehend River Tam without a scene, the two men hastened into the alleyway after them. Stopping abruptly, they looked around in momentary confusion. "Where could they…" one said, drawing out his thin tube.

"Looking for me?" Jayne asked, dropping out of a window on the side of one of the buildings fronting the alley.

"Or me?" River asked, spinning out from behind a dumpster and kicking the cylinder from the BlueSun employee's hand.

Before her feet had touched the ground, the second man whirled into action, startling Jayne with his freakish agility and giving his partner time to move away from Jayne's gun barrel. The two worked as one, turning and twisting in the narrow spaces to avoid their opponents.

Jayne took a moment to kick the cylinder out of their range before grabbing one of the men and cheerfully breaking his nose. "Little different when the blood's runnin' out of your nose, ain't it?" he hissed against the man's ear.

"Finish it," River said, battling with the other man. "Don't have time to play."

Jayne moved to comply, pulling Binky out of its sheath and pushing the man against the wall of the building. Holding him easily with one arm, he put the point of the knife at the base of the man's throat. "Where's Mal?"

Suddenly, a sharp pain speared through his head and he almost dropped the knife. "Jayne," River gasped behind him.

He found it difficult to turn his head. When finally he managed it, he saw the other man holding out a cylinder over River's crumpled form. She looked up at him beseechingly, obviously horribly affected by the weapon as a thin trickle of blood flowed from her nose and ears. Pushing the knife quickly through the first man's throat, he dropped the carcass behind him and turned to face his other opponent, heedless of the thin stream of blood coming from his own nose. He staggered and fell at the man's feet.

As the man looked impassively at Jayne, River stirred. With a monumental effort of sheer will, she scissored her legs, hitting the man behind the knees and dropping him onto Jayne's body. The cylinder flew from the man's hands, landing a short distance away. Jayne, knife still in hand, turned, heaving the man off him and slashing out with the blade. The man, stunned slightly, moved to back away and regain his footing. River, her arms feeling like lead, raised her gun and dropped him where he stood.

Wiping the blood from her nose, she walked unsteadily to the cylinder and crushed it on the pavement. Immediately, the sharp pain in Jayne's head dulled to a steady throb and he slowly rose to his feet. "Now what?" he said, wiping his bloody nose.

"Now we have to catch the woman," River said. "And try not to kill her before we get the information we need."

Jayne nodded. "Think I might need a minute first," he said a little shakily. "And you ain't lookin' your best neither."

River nodded, leaning her back against the alley wall and sliding down slowly to rest for a moment.

"Them cylinders are a mite too effective to suit me," Jayne observed, wiping his nose again on his sleeve. "How the diyu do they work?"

"Too tired to explain now," River said.

"Maybe later," Jayne suggested as he leaned his head against the wall as well. They sat for several minutes, gathering their strength. "Wanna split up to catch 'er?" Jayne asked after a long pause.

River frowned, her mind racing through the variables. "Both too weakened to face her alone if she has a cylinder."

"Good point," Jayne said, getting up from his sitting position with a grunt. "She can't have gotten too far. Let's go."

XXXXXXXXXX

The two suited men walked wordlessly up to the cabin porch, not even bothering to use stealth. Pushing the door open, they stepped inside. Wordlessly, they move through the rooms methodically, checking every possible hiding place thoroughly. "The boy warned them," one of them said to the other.

"The shield is apparently ineffective against his skills," the other observed. "An interesting thing to study later."

The first man nodded, walking out onto the porch and looking around. "They can't have gone far. The ship is still on the dock."

XXXXXXXXXX

Adam tugged on Simon's sleeve, his eyes wide with fright. "They're coming," he said.

Simon looked down at his nephew. "I know, Adam. And we're going to be gone when they get here."

Adam shook his head. "No, I mean they're coming right now. They're already at the cabin."

Running to the ramp, Simon looked out to where his father and mother were handling the last of the supplies. "Leave it. We have to go right now," he yelled, startling the elder Tams into instant obedience.

Gabriel grabbed his wife's hand and they ran toward the ship as Simon hit the comm link. "Inara, take us up. Now," he ordered, as he hit the button to raise the ramp.

Gabriel jumped into the ship, and pulled Regan in after him, narrowly avoiding being crushed by the rising ramp. "Son, you almost killed us," he said, breathing heavily.

"There's no time," Simon said, securing the area. "Take Adam and go to the galley with the others."

Gabriel, having never seen this side of his son before, stared at him for a long moment before turning to comply. "Of course," he murmured quietly. "We didn't realize…"

"It's all right," Simon said dismissively. "You're just not used to living like this. I understand."

Flipping the comm link again, he asked, "Inara, is there any reason we're not airborne yet?"

"I don't know." Inara's normally calm voice was obviously distressed. "I've initiated the launching sequence, and nothing is happening."

Cursing a low string of Mandarin, Simon said, "Kaylee? What's going on?"

Kaylee's voice came over the comm. "Not sure, but I'm on it. Looks like some kinda' jamming mechanism, but I can't find the source."

"I'd say the source is outside, about to knock on the door," Simon muttered under his breath, his pulse beating wildly at his temples as he ran toward the bridge.

XXXXXXXXXX

The woman walked rapidly through the streets of Capitol City, aware now that she was the prey instead of the predator. She could only surmise that her partners had been neutralized somehow by the woman and man they were to apprehend. This was an unusual occurrence, and she was vaguely disturbed by the thought that two of her compatriots could be taken down so easily. Of course, she had read the files on the Tam woman, but she suspected there were things that were missing from those files, things that might explain Tam's seeming ability to slip through their fingers so quickly.

She toyed with the idea of calling for reinforcements, but rejected it almost immediately. She did not wish to fail at her mission, but she also had no desire to end up as a body in an alleyway. Deciding that discretion was called for, she headed toward her rendezvous point, where she assumed her superiors could decide how to proceed.

Less than a block away from her destination, Jayne fell into step beside her, pulling her into what looked to the casual observer as an embrace. "You wanted to see me?" he asked against her ear. She moved subtly to reach into her pocket for her weapon. "Move that hand another inch and I'll snap it at the wrist," he said, his tone almost amiable.

River slipped around from the woman's other side and reached into her pocket, withdrawing the cylinder and slipping it into her own dress. "We need to talk," she said, leading the way.

The BlueSun woman gripped tightly to his side, Jayne followed River back to the shuttle without another word.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	9. Chapter 9

Forward Motion

**Forward Motion**

**Part IX—Lessons Learned**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: BlueSun's experiment continues, and Simon must find a way to save his family.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Watch the sedation levels. He's coming around," the suited man said, causing the technician to turn quickly to the monitors.

Mal stirred, hearing the sound of voices from what seemed an incredible distance. Fighting toward consciousness, he held on to the sound, focusing all his attention on the murmur of those voices.

"You may start the seventh set as soon as he is completely under," the disembodied voice said, a millisecond before Mal was pulled inexorably back into the dream state he'd occupied for what seemed an eternity of time.

_He was in his bunk on Serenity, River lying beneath him, smiling and whole. Mal touched her silky hair, the soft skin of her cheek, to assure himself that she was real. She smiled, reaching up to enfold him in arms that loved him like no other ever had. Kissing the frown creased onto his brow, she asked softly, "What's wrong, ai ren?"_

"_You're not here," Mal said, sure of it somehow, despite all evidence to the contrary._

"_Of course I am," she said, pressing her hips upward to brush against him. "Where else would I be?"_

_Mal kissed her long and deep, needing the taste of her to confirm her solidity. She moved under him, her body molding to his perfectly as his hands ran down her sides to rest on her hips. "Missed you, bao bei," he murmured against her hair as he inhaled the scent of her, as familiar to him as his own. _

"_Show me," she whispered, pulling his lower lip between her teeth gently. _

_He moaned, aroused as always by this woman-child, who had become his wife, his anchor in a sea of disturbance. Moving over her with exquisite gentleness, he sank gratefully into her warmth, coming home._

"It would appear this set of stimuli was successful as well," the first suited man said, his blue-gloved finger tracing the pattern of the data scrolling across the screen.

The second man nodded. "Do you wish to discontinue this set and move on to the eighth?"

"No, not yet," the first man replied. "Let the test run its natural course. There is no need for undue haste." Turning back to the transparency, he watched the Captain as he dreamed on.

XXXXXXXXXX

Simon leaned over Inara's shoulder, looking at the console in frustration. "There's nothing wrong with the equipment," Inara said. "The readings are all within normal limits. It has to be coming from outside the ship."

Kaylee walked quickly onto the bridge, the skin of her face drawn tight over her cheekbones, tension in every line of her body. "Best I can tell, they have a device with them, gummin' up Serenity's system so's it don't take the launch sequence commands."

"How large?" Simon asked.

Kaylee looked at him oddly. "Don't know. But it can't be too big, or we'da' seen it."

"So, conceivably it's something on their persons?" Simon asked.

Kaylee nodded. "Could be hand-held. And that would explain why it's gettin' stronger the closer they get to us. "

Simon looked at her sharply. "You mean…"

"They're practically on top of us," Gabriel said, stepping onto the bridge grimly. "They'll be close enough the ramp would brush them if we let it down within a few minutes."

Simon's mind whirred quickly, thinking of other times invaders had tried to take the ship. A mental image of Niska's man, Crow, came unbidden to his mind and gave him a thought. Looking at Kaylee, he said, "You said the device is jamming the launching sequence, right?"

"Right."

"So, nothing else is affected?"

"Not as I know of yet," Kaylee said. "Though that's hard to say, considerin'."

"Inara," Simon said quickly, turning back to the console. "Can you….boost the engine revolutions?"

"It would seriously affect our fuel consumption," she said. "And without a way to break through the jamming mechanism…"

Simon ran toward the cargo bay. "Just do it when I say. Full speed, maximum revolutions. Dong ma?"

"Of course," Inara said, wondering where his mind was headed, but willing at this point to do anything with any chance at all of success.

XXXXXXXXXX

River pointed to a chair and Jayne slammed the BlueSun woman into it unceremoniously. Quickly pulling her hands behind her, he secured them to the back of the chair and tied her ankles in a similar fashion. River watched, her face like stone as she stared intently at the woman.

"It won't work," the woman said calmly, staring back into the depths of River's fierce eyes.

"What?" River asked.

"You won't be able to read me," the woman said, a trifle smugly.

"And why is that?" River asked, leaning close enough to her to make her flinch away slightly.

The woman opened her mouth to speak and then snapped it shut, as if remembering a moment too late the protocol for such matters.

River maintained her position. "Where is my husband?" she asked simply.

The woman looked steadily at the wall of the shuttle, making no reply. River nodded imperceptibly at Jayne, who spun the woman around on one chair leg, tilting it back at an angle. "You hear what she asked?" he said, drawing his knife from its sheath and letting the light catch the edge of the blade.

The woman said nothing, a slight smile tugging at her lips. Jayne eyed her carefully. "Seems like you don't understand what's gonna be happenin' here in about two seconds if'n you don't answer her question."

"Oh I understand perfectly," the woman replied. "You intend to extract the information from me in some thuggish way. Is that about right?"

Jayne lifted her chin with the tip of his blade, tempted to just end her and take their chances with finding Mal on their own. River said quietly, "No, Jayne."

Jayne grimaced, putting the slightest pressure on the blade and drawing a thin line of blood under the woman's chin. "I'd say that's about right," he answered. "Only it'll save me some time for you just to tell us what you know, so's you ain't got to die at the point of this here blade."

"That's not going to happen," the woman said confidently, though she winced as the blade was drawn further down her neck.

"Oh, and why not?" Jayne asked, his face close enough for her to see the individual hairs of his beard clearly.

The woman swallowed, causing the knife to move a bit further, the tip imbedded in her flesh. Jayne heard a grinding sound, and saw that she was moving her mouth in a strange way. "River," he said, just as the woman's head lolled to the side drunkenly.

Prying open the woman's mouth quickly, River tried to force her to gag. "Poison," she said, frustration etching her face. The woman slumped beneath her hand, the fast-acting poison shutting down her system almost instantly.

"Gorram it," Jayne said, upending the chair to which the corpse was bound. "What kinda' eerie-ass people go and kill their own selves 'stead of answerin' a question?"

"Had she told us, she would have been dead anyway," River said, her voice flat.

XXXXXXXXXX

The two men approached Serenity slowly, looking for an easy way of ingress. Simon, watching their progress from a slot in the cargo bay wall, saw them approaching. Fingering the comm, he said quietly, "Inara, are you ready?"

"Yes," came the reply.

Timing his order like the precise surgeon he was, Simon said, "Now."

Immediately, Serenity's engines roared to life, sucking up everything within its range, including one of the two suited men. The other man, dazed by his companion's sudden trip through Serenity's engine, grasped the sides of the housing, fighting the pull of the whirling machinery inside with white knuckles, unable to let go for fear of being sucked up into Serenity's maw.

Simon watched grimly. "Kaylee," he called through the comm.. "Any change with the launching sequence?"

"None," Kaylee replied.

"Inara, can you increase the engine speed?" he asked.

He heard the roar of the engine increase, shaking the ship with its speed. Watching the man's fingers lose the last of their grip, Simon winced as the man met his death in the whirling vortex, taking his handheld device with him. He closed his eyes for a long moment, sick with the image.

Kaylee's voice crackled over the comm. "Don't know what you did, honey, but whatever was jammin' her up is gone."

Inara concurred. "Everything looks good on the console."

Swallowing thickly, Simon replied, "Then take us up."

Feeling the slight lift beneath his feet as Inara complied, Simon walked toward the bridge, years older than he had been a few short moments before.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jayne stepped back into the shuttle. "Body's gone," he said unnecessarily. "Ain't apt to be found for a long while either."

River nodded, her mind numb with the immensity of the task before them. "There are hundreds of them," she said. "Hundreds of laboratories they use on this world."

"And you ain't got the slightest notion where to go?" Jayne asked. "I mean, you know, you don't feel nothin', nothin' that points you in one direction or another?"

"No," River said, her voice sad and low.

Jayne sighed heavily. "Well then, you might not have a choice," he said, not unkindly. "Might have to get Adam here. Could be he could see somethin' you can't."

River glared at him. "I won't sacrifice Adam to find Mal. And if I did, Mal would never forgive me, nor I myself. Do you have any idea what they would do to him if they were to capture him?"

Jayne looked at her grimly. "What they done to you, I reckon."

"And more than likely, their cruelties have only increased," she said tiredly. "Can't let him come. Couldn't….bear it, if he….." She stopped abruptly, unable to finish the sentence.

Jayne nodded. Silently looking at the locations of a handful of BlueSun labs, he said, "Might be easier to catch us another suit than to bust into all these."

"And how do you propose we do that?" River asked, looking at him skeptically.

"How's about I turn you in to the Feds?" Jayne asked, grinning. "Sure as hell brought 'em out last time."

River tilted her head to the side, calculating their odds.

XXXXXXXXXX

The suited man frowned as he listened to the report. Relaying the information to his companion, he said, "The team sent out to apprehend the boy has missed their specified check-in wave."

The second man looked up reluctantly from his terminal, where the fascinating data continued to scroll across his screen. "So, what will you do?"

"Send out another one to retrieve both the boy and the team," the first man said calmly.

The second man nodded distractedly, already focused once again on Mal's dreams.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	10. Chapter 10

Forward Motion

**Forward Motion**

**Part X—Traction**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: Zoe regains some ground, and Mal wakes up.

XXXXXXXXXX

River scrubbed her hands over her eyes irritably. "Minimal chance of success for unacceptable risk level," she said finally.

"You got a better suggestion?" Jayne asked.

River reached into her pocket, pulling out the cylinder she'd lifted from the BlueSun woman. "Can find out how this works, and use it to our advantage," she said.

"And how do we do that?" Jayne asked.

"My father knows people, scientists who might be willing to help." She turned toward the shuttle controls. "Buckle in, we're going back to the cabin."

Jayne, seeing no other reasonable course of action, did just that.

XXXXXXXXXX

Zoe stood up slowly, testing the strength of her legs in the early morning light coming through the small window of the hospital room. Pleased with the lack of nausea, she walked around the perimeter of the room. Her stomach rumbled and, for a moment, she was startled. It had been days since she had even vaguely felt like eating food at all, and now she was suddenly ravenous.

After watching Jim sleep for a several minutes, she quietly opened the door and moved into the corridor. The nurse's station was empty as she began her walk. Each step increased her confidence. She felt energized, suddenly alive again after days of feeling little more than almost dead. Turning the corner, she ran into the nurse.

"Mrs. Bowden," the nurse said cheerfully. "I see you're feeling better."

"Might live through the day, at that," Zoe said, a slight smile tugging at her lips.

The nurse nodded. "The first week of treatment is always the worst," she said. "It takes time for your body to assimilate the medication. From now on, you should feel a bit better each day until the course of treatment is completed." She looked at her patient carefully. "Is there anything I can get for you, now that you're up and about?"

"Breakfast would be good," Zoe admitted.

"I'll call the doctor immediately," the nurse said. "He left no order for food until we were sure your nausea was under control, but if you're hungry, that's a very good sign."

Zoe nodded, the talk of food setting her stomach rumbling again. "Think maybe today I can walk with Jim when he does his rounds," she said.

The nurse's smile widened. "I'm sure Mr. Bowden will be so pleased with that. Often, patients with his type of injury do best when their families are an active part of the therapeutic experience."

"I'll be there," Zoe said, a warm flush rising as she thought about the nurse referring to her as a member of Jim's family. Even now, the idea of actually being his wife was a sort of novelty to her, a vast emotional terrain she'd not yet had the strength to explore fully.

The thought of family immediately triggered thoughts of Mal and the others on Serenity's crew. Thinking that her newfound strength might be needed sooner rather than later, she walked back toward her room with a determined step.

XXXXXXXXXX

Simon stood beside the pilot's chair, thinking it a strange course of events that had left him to be the decision-maker aboard Serenity. Medical decisions were easy, he mused privately, compared to the decisions he had faced since River's departure in search of the Captain. The thought gave him yet another in an increasingly long list of reasons for respecting his brother-in-law.

As if reading his thoughts, Inara asked quietly, "What do you think they're doing to him?"

Not needing an explanation as to whom she was referring, Simon sighed, stretching the muscles of his back tiredly. "I don't know, but it can't be good," he said truthfully. "Their track record is less than encouraging where this crew is concerned."

Inara nodded, swallowing nervously. "Where are we going?" she asked quietly.

Simon looked out into the Black, as if the answer might magically appear if he just concentrated hard enough. But, as always, the sight of the vast expanse of space out the transparency gave him a vague feeling of unease. "We need to contact River. Warn her about what happened at the cabin."

"They were after Adam, weren't they?" Inara asked, deep worry pooling in her eyes.

"That is what I believe," Simon said. "I assume they must have been listening in somehow. They must have heard what Adam saw." He shook his head. "Or, assuming the best case scenario, they were simply hoping to apprehend my sister."

"That hardly sounds like a 'best case scenario'," Inara said.

"True, but it's what we have to work with," Simon replied.

XXXXXXXXXX

River's fingers moved rapidly over the console of the shuttle. "There's a wave," she said, rousing Jayne from his short nap. "From Serenity."

Jayne sat up, instantly alert. "Means they had to run," he said.

River nodded, waiting for the image to coalesce on the screen. Simon's face came into view, drawn tight with tension. "River," Simon said as soon as he saw his sister. "They came to the cabin. Two of them. We had to leave."

River nodded, her pulse beating wildly at her throat. "Felt Adam's fear," she said. "He…he's okay now, right?"

"Everyone's safe, for now," Simon reassured her. "But we can't go back to the cabin. Any word on Mal?"

"None," River said tightly. "We had trouble with three of them. But no sign of Mal. We were headed to the cabin to get Father."

Simon frowned. "For what?"

"We were able to get one of their weapons, and we need to see if it can be modified in some way to make it easier for us to tap into the BlueSun system. Father has friends, scientists who might be able to help us. Where are you now?"

Simon glanced at Inara, who gave River the coordinates for Serenity's location.

River nodded, keying in the coordinates as she spoke. "We can rendezvous within the hour."

Giving Inara instructions about how to accomplish docking procedures from the pilot's chair rather than the shuttle itself, River adjusted her course, heading with all haste to reach Serenity as soon as possible.

XXXXXXXXXX

Adam lay on his back, staring up at the bulkhead above his bed. Serenity felt strange, alien without the warmth of his parents in its walls and corridors. He knew Mama was coming, could feel her steady resolve as she closed the distance between them. But she was not bringing Daddy home with her. Adam closed his eyes, reaching out tentatively to touch Mal's mind, unaccustomed to this stretching. He felt it, the barest hint of his father in the foreign landscape of Mal's dreams. The images meant little to the young boy, full of dark shadows and piercing light, causing him to flinch away instinctively. But his mind returned, again and again, to connect with his father under the cottony layers of Mal's subconscious. And he comforted himself with the knowledge that his father was alive, that somewhere beyond the places his mother and Jayne had gone, his father's heart was still beating steady and strong beneath the dreamscape through which he walked alone.

XXXXXXXXXX

Jim walked along the long hospital corridor without having to concentrate an inordinate amount on the motion he achieved with every step. Zoe walked beside him, not touching him, afraid to upset the delicate balance that allowed him to move unaided. The neurotherapist, eager now to share with her the progress Jim had really made in the past few days, explained that for each step Jim took, he was re-training his brain to achieve the desired results by rote.

And Zoe had to admit that Jim was much steadier on his feet than she could have imagined at first. The combination of intense physical therapy, which she had largely missed due to her own course of treatment, and the medications available to stimulate synapse production had worked a minor miracle on her husband, giving him back his mobility, albeit somewhat more precarious than it had been before the injury.

"Depth perception is key," the therapist was saying as she turned her attention back to his words. "Once that is achieved, everything else pertaining to motion should fall into place like dominoes."

"D..don't s…s…say fall," Jim said, smiling crookedly.

Zoe smiled, the evidence of Jim's sense of humor warming her to the core. "And the speech?" she asked.

"Should continue to improve as well. The more he talks, the more quickly the right connections will be made in his brain. It's really quite astounding, the trauma that the human brain can endure. Amazing how it can compensate for areas of damage," the therapist said. "And with new advances in the field of neurotherapy, there is a real possibility that Mr. Bowden here will be fully functional, given enough time and hard work."

Jim winced at the mention of time. "H..how long?" he asked.

"That's really up to you, Mr. Bowden," the therapist said. "We can facilitate your recovery, but it is really dependent on what you put in to the process."

Jim scowled, the pressure to get back up to speed building as he thought of Mal, lost somewhere in the hands of BlueSun. He could feel the tension in Zoe like a current of electricity. And now that she was recovering some of her own strength, he knew it would be no time at all before she was compelled to join the search for the Captain. And Jim had no intention of being left behind. Wondering vaguely if he could even remember how to aim a gun, he sighed.

"Are you getting tired, Mr. Bowden?" the therapist asked solicitously. "Because you've already surpassed yesterday's distance by quite a bit."

"N..n..not tired," he ground out, determined to strengthen himself as quickly as possible. "M…more."

The therapist looked at him doubtfully for a moment, but then nodded his approval.

XXXXXXXXXX

Mal awoke with a start. His eyes sprang open, aware for the first time in some days that he was in the white room. Monitors still blinked and beeped around him. Needles still dug into his flesh. But he was aware, in that vague, undefined way of things, that he was alone for the moment.

He slowly tested his bonds, cursing in frustration when they refused to give him any leeway. He turned his head as much as he was able, given the position of the restraints. Still, he could see nothing except the gleaming tray of instruments beside him. He wondered how long he had been in this room, but there was no way to measure the time.

He had no wish to dwell on the things that must have been done to him while he had been sedated, but he could not help the pervasive sense of dread that came with the thought. This time they had not stated their purpose, had instead simply laid him on the table like a side of beef and begun their work without so much as a hint as to their plans. Mal shivered on the cold table.

He heard a door somewhere behind him open and close and he tensed instinctively, wishing that at least one of the restraints had loosened a little. The technician came into view, looking at him curiously, as one might view a particularly interesting lab rat.

"What do you people want?" Mal asked, his voice raspy from lack of use.

The technician looked vaguely surprised, as if it had never occurred to him that his specimen might speak. However, he knew better than to answer such a question and he busied himself with checking the monitors.

Mal swallowed with difficulty, his mouth dry as sawdust. "Where am I?"

"Nowhere of consequence, Captain," a disembodied voice answered through an intercom system.

"Think I'd like to make that determination on my own, if it's all the same to you," Mal replied.

"Don't concern yourself with such matters, Captain Reynolds," the voice continued evenly. "You will be returned to your previous location soon enough. Our work is almost complete."

"And what work is that exactly?" Mal asked, fighting the cold panic that was beginning to take hold of him with the other man's words.

There was only silence in answer.

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	11. Chapter 11

Forward Motion

**Forward Motion**

**Part XI—Release**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: River runs into a dead end, and Zoe makes a startling discovery.

XXXXXXXXXX

"You can think of no one?" Simon asked, his brows drawn together in consternation.

Gabriel sighed, looking apologetically at both his children. "Most of my contacts have, over the years, withdrawn from me," he admitted. "I can only assume that many of them were involved somehow in what happened to River, or at least had some knowledge of it. The others probably distanced themselves as a result of the constant surveillance. No one, it would seem, likes to live under a microscope."

Simon swallowed back the unusual feeling of pity he suddenly felt for his father. "I didn't know," he said. "I suppose it never occurred to me what your life has become since…."

Gabriel held up his hand, forestalling further discussion. "It hardly matters, considering everything that has happened," he said. "But I am afraid I can think of no one we could safely ask." He looked up at River, who sat holding the BlueSun cylinder between her thumb and index finger like a fragile thing.

"Could be we could figure it out," Kaylee said, breaking the oppressive silence that followed Gabriel's admission. Taking it gently from River's nerveless fingers, she looked at it carefully. "I don't see any kind of switch, or anything to turn it on."

Jayne grunted. "Wouldn't wanna turn it on anyhow, less'n we knew what to do with it. Thing causes a helluva headache when it's activated."

"And nosebleeds," River added. "Actually causes hemorrhaging from nose, eyes, ears, and mouth."

Kaylee set the device down quickly on the galley table. Regan picked it up gingerly. "Hard to believe something so small could cause so much trouble," she said.

"Not really," Simon said, watching his mother handling the tube uneasily. "I would assume it emits some kind of vibration that ruptures the blood vessels in its victim. Wouldn't have to be too large to do that. Would just need to be in the proximity of the victim."

Kaylee frowned. "But if'n it's some kind of vibration, why don't it hurt the one holdin' the tube? They're closer to it than the victim." River tilted her head to the side, pondering Kaylee's words as she went on. "And why ain't it got a little button or some such to set it off?"

Regan set the cylinder back on the table and Inara picked it up, running her fingertips along its smooth surface carefully. "There has to be something else that activates it," she said.

"The gloves," River said suddenly. Everyone looked at her in confusion. "It has to be the gloves themselves," she said. "There is no external mechanism on the cylinder to activate it. We have all looked. And, we've never seen the device work except in the hands of a BlueSun employee. And on each of those hands has been.."

"A blue glove," Simon finished.

River nodded. "And perhaps that might explain also why they are unaffected by it. The gloves must be designed in such a way to create some sort of protection for them."

"S'posin' that's all true?" Jayne asked. "How does that help us?"

"Can you retrieve the body of the woman if we go back to Capitol City?" River asked.

Jayne nodded.

"Then we can retrieve her gloves as well," River said.

Gabriel frowned. "This sounds very speculative to me. And to go back to the city when it's obvious that people are searching for you is the height of recklessness."

"Have to go back anyway," River said firmly. "Mal is still there somewhere."

"And Jim and Zoe are easy targets in that hospital, if the hundans decide they need some more of us," Jayne said grimly.

"But the children," Regan objected. "You can't be thinking of taking Adam anywhere near the city."

"Want to go," Adam said from the doorway, scrubbing his eyes with his fists. "We need to get Daddy out now. He's worried."

All the adults swiveled to look at the little boy. "You can hear your Daddy now?" Simon asked, bending down on one knee to be on Adam's eye level.

"Heard him wake up," Adam replied.

"And did you see him too?"

Adam nodded soberly. "He's all tied up on a shiny bed. Looks like silver, but it ain't. And he's cold and nervous 'cause he's still in that white room and nobody's talking to him."

"How many people are in the room?" River asked softly.

Adam frowned. "Nobody but Daddy, right now. Only he's worried they're gonna come back." Looking up at his mother with eyes so much like Mal's that it tore at her heart, he said, "Take me closer to him, Mama. Maybe I can find him 'fore they hurt him again."

"It isn't safe, little one," she said, sinking down onto her knees beside him.

Adam looked at her sadly. "Isn't safe here either. You told me before that bad men might wanna hurt me 'cause I'm like you. And now I know what they look like, 'cause they've got Daddy. We gotta get him back, Mama. Please."

River stared at her son for a long moment. "Show me," she said, focusing all her mental strength on him. "Show me what you see."

Complete silence fell in the room as River and Adam communicated with each other in their own unique way. Mesmerized by the sight, Gabriel reached for Regan's hand as they watched mother and son. After several minutes, River shook her head as if to break the connection she and Adam shared. "All right," she said softly. "We'll go."

And without another word, she and Adam headed to the bridge hand-in-hand.

XXXXXXXXXX

Looking at the last collected data scrolling across his screen, the suited man nodded slowly. "The protocol is complete," he confirmed. "All the readings are recorded and archived in multiple locations. This phase of the project can now be terminated."

The Parliament member looked through the transparency at the sedated man on the table. "Excellent," he said. "I assume Phase Two is at least in its preliminary stages?"

"Yes," the blue-gloved man confirmed. "Of course, Phase Two was initiated at an entirely different facility. For security's sake, you understand."

"Yes, yes, I read all the reports of the security measures that you have instituted," the parliament member said, waving his hand dismissively. Gazing at Mal, he murmured, "I would like to have talked with him."

"We can wake him, if you wish," the suited man replied.

"That would hardly be wise at this juncture," the member of Parliament replied icily. "The project cannot be jeopardized to suit the whim of one old man such as myself."

The suited man nodded noncommittally.

"Besides," the Parliament man continued. "We are on a timetable of sorts. Best to just follow the protocol to the letter, I suspect."

"Once the data has been reviewed again by the project director, we will take the next step," the suited man said.

"I will await the results eagerly," the Parliament representative said, gathering his coat to leave. "Any variation in the protocol, and I wish to be contacted immediately."

"Of course," the man replied, ushering the older man out the door. "Good day, sir."

XXXXXXXXXX

Zoe looked out the window at the people milling on the street beside the hospital. Capitol City was a busy place, and from this angle the people below looked for all the 'verse like ants scurrying about their business. She leaned her head against the coolness of the glass and thought about Mal somewhere in the hands of BlueSun.

Jim shuffled up behind her and put his hands carefully on her shoulders. "F…f…feeling sick a…ag…again?" he asked softly.

"No," Zoe replied, leaning lightly into the warmth of his body. "Just thinking."

"M..M…Mal," Jim said.

Zoe drew a deep breath. "There's been no word now, and it's going on six days he's been missing. Can't help but think if I'da waited to take this gorram treatment…" Her words trailed off as she stared out the window.

Jim squeezed her shoulders. "C…c…couldn't w…w…wait," he said, pressing his lips to the back of her neck. "Might'a b…b…been too l..l.late."

"Might be too late for Mal now," Zoe replied, a note of sharp regret in her voice.

Jim looked over her shoulder at the street below them. He gasped in surprise, turning Zoe's head to look further down the street. "M..M..Mal," he said, pointing a shaky finger at the glass.

Zoe inclined her head, trying to see what was in Jim's skewed line of vision. "What do you…?" she started to say before finally seeing what Jim had seen. Running hastily to the small closet in the room, she pulled her street clothes out and quickly pulled them on. Seeing Jim trying to do the same, she stopped him.

"You stay here," she ordered, in full command mode. "I'll be back, soon's I can."

Jim started to protest, but realized how badly he would slow her down if he attempted to go. "W..w..watching f..fr..from the window," he said.

Zoe nodded, heading for the hospital exit.

XXXXXXXXXX

Adam slept in River's arms, exhausted from the effort of convincing his mother to take him to Capitol City. River sat at the console, looking out at the skyline of the city coming into view. Repositioning her son so that she could use both arms when it was time to land, she leaned back with a heavy sigh. Through Adam, she had felt Mal's pain and fear. It was a fear she knew well, the horror of what was being done to one's own body as one lay helpless on an examination table under the hands of blue.

A cold rage built inside her, and she felt the stirring of the weapon she could be when pushed into a corner. Carefully trying to shield that rage from Adam, she concentrated on honing it into sharp focus, narrowing her world to the task of bringing her husband home.

So focused was she that for a moment, she didn't hear the beep of the incoming wave. Adam shifted sleepily at the sound, drawing River's attention back to her surroundings. She looked at the wave address and frowned. It was an unknown address, but was close to the location of the hospital. She pressed a button, and Zoe's face coalesced on the screen.

"Is everything all right?" River asked quickly, surprised to see the woman out of the hospital.

"Don't know," Zoe replied tersely. "Looked out my window and saw him. Got here as soon as I could, and found him lyin' on the street like a dead man."

She adjusted the angle of the screen and River strangled a cry. "Mal," she breathed out.

"Is he…?"

"He's alive," Zoe said. "Don't even look particularly hurt, but I can't wake him up."

River nodded. "Serenity is very close to your location now. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Zoe nodded. "Bring Simon."

XXXXXXXXXX

To be continued


	12. Chapter 12

Forward Motion

**Forward Motion**

**Part XII—Puzzle Pieces**

Author: justslummin

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Just playin' in Joss' sandbox.

Rating: PG

Summary: The crew is reunited, and Mal tries to decipher what has happened.

XXXXXXXXXX

Zoe pulled Mal into a small alleyway between the storefronts, using the last of her strength to lean him against the wall. She sat down heavily beside him and rested her head against the same wall, drawing in deep breaths for a few minutes. Finally, when she felt she could do so, she turned to him and shook him slightly. "Sir?" she said with as much force as her lungs would allow. "You with me?"

Mal stirred faintly, moaning in his drug-induced sleep. Zoe's heart leapt at the small response. "Sir," she said again, watching him closely. "You gotta wake up."

Mal's eyelids fluttered open and he looked around, disoriented. Zoe continued. "It ain't safe here, out on the street. And I don't have strength enough to carry you."

Mal looked at her with dawning recognition. "Guess I'll have to carry my own self then," he murmured, a slight smile ghosting his lips.

"Reckon you will, at that," Zoe replied blandly.

Mal looked at his surroundings. "How did I…?"

"Don't know, sir," Zoe said. "Jim looked out the hospital window, and there you were, lying in the street."

Mal frowned at the mention of the hospital. "You all right, Zoe?" he asked.

"If you mean, am I gonna live, the answer's yes," Zoe replied evenly. "But I ain't all right by a long shot."

"How long was I…?" Mal asked.

"Six days, best we can figure," Zoe said. "You never showed up at the hospital."

Mal grimaced. "Sorry about that. Meant to be there for the both of you."

Zoe shrugged. "S'all right. Jim and I were together, anyway."

As if her words had conjured him, Jim came haltingly around the corner. Zoe looked up at him, startled. "How did you get here?" she asked.

"Sn..snuck p..past n..n..nurse," Jim admitted.

"Looks like you're well on the mend," Mal said, squinting up at Jim.

Jim nodded, leaning against the wall for support as his balance wavered slightly.

Mal turned back to Zoe. "Best we get you two back to the hospital and wave River at the cabin. She's bound to be worried."

"Not necessary," River's voice preceded her into the alleyway. "We're here."

Simon dropped to his knees beside Mal, quickly assessing his patient. Mal moved to push him away. "That can wait 'til I know what the diyu is goin' on," he said. Looking at River in consternation, he added, "Why ain't you at the cabin, where it's safe?"

"Wasn't safe," River replied, sighing. "Now let Simon do his job."

Mal scowled, but let Simon proceed. "What happened at the cabin?"

River sank down beside him, needing to feel the solidity of him pressed against her side. As Simon worked, she told Mal the story of everything that had happened since his disappearance as quickly as she could.

Zoe and Jim sat open-mouthed beside him, having been unaware of what the others were going through beyond their search for Mal. River looked at them apologetically. "Didn't want to worry you more than was necessary," she said.

"Helluva thing to keep to yourself," Zoe murmured as Jim squeezed her shoulder gently.

"So the hundans know about Adam," Mal said. "All the more reason to stay away from the city."

"He was the only one who could see what was happening to you," River said quietly.

"BlueSun has apparently developed some kind of shield to block River's abilities," Simon added, putting his medical kit away. "I'll need to do some tests on you when we get back to Serenity, but everything looks good so far."

"Then I can get up now?" Mal said, standing up slowly on shaky legs. Realizing it was the first time he'd stood in six days, he felt strangely detached from his body. Leaning heavily on River, he walked out into the bright sunlight of Capitol City, followed somberly by the others.

XXXXXXXXXX

Having seen Mal safely back to the Osiris docks to Serenity, Zoe and Jim were settling back into their room at the hospital. "Don't seem right," Zoe said darkly. "Ain't likely that they would just leave him lyin' out where we'd be sure to see 'im, less'n they wanted us to."

Jim nodded soberly. "Wh..what d..d..do you th..think..they d…d…d…did to h..h..him?"

Zoe suppressed a shudder. "Don't know. Nothing obvious, so far as Simon could tell. Said he checks out fine."

Jim stared at her, his blue eyes expressive of his worry. "N…n..not l..l..likely," he said.

Zoe returned his gaze. "Best we be gettin' back on our feet sooner rather than later. I don't want to still be in here when the other shoe drops."

Jim nodded his agreement.

XXXXXXXXXX

Simon replayed the results from the medical scanner, looking intently for anything he might have missed. Sighing, he turned to Mal. "There's just nothing," he said. "Nothing unusual at all. This scan looks exactly like the one I did on you two weeks ago, when you took that tumble in the cargo bay. The only difference is the chafing where you were apparently restrained, and the needle marks."

"And the drugs?" Mal asked.

"Standard sedatives," Simon said, mystified. "Enough of them to knock out an elephant, but just standard sedatives nonetheless."

"So, you got any objection to me sleeping the rest of it off in my own bunk?" Mal asked.

"I'd prefer to have you under observation," Simon said.

"River'll observe me," Mal replied, pushing himself off the exam table quickly.

Unable to think of any reason to keep him, Simon watched Mal walk out into the corridor with more than a little uneasiness.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Reynolds' ship has left the docks," the younger man reported. "Do you wish us to follow?"

The blue-gloved man said nothing for a moment, until the younger man shifted uneasily on his feet. "No," he said at last. "We will concentrate our resources on the current project. Its success will guarantee that we can reacquire the Tam siblings and their offspring whenever we wish."

The younger man smiled slowly. "Like fish in a barrel, you might say."

The older man smiled thinly. "Indeed," he replied.

XXXXXXXXXX

Adam climbed down into his parents' bunk, squinting in the low light to make out the silhouette of his father on the bed. "Daddy," he whispered. "Are you asleep?"

"You know already that I'm not," Mal replied, smiling as he held out his arms in welcome.

Adam crawled up onto the bed, curling into his father's strong arms. "Missed you, Daddy," he said.

"Your mother tells me that you saw some of what happened to me," Mal said softly.

"A little," Adam admitted, shivering slightly.

Mal sighed, hating the question he was about to ask. "Did you see what they were trying to do?"

Adam shook his head. "Don't know," he said. "Just saw you." He paused for a moment. "You were afraid."

"Yes," Mal admitted. "I was." Seeing the look in his son's eyes, he added, "It's natural to be afraid when you're facing something you don't know. If people aren't afraid of that, it's 'cause they're not thinkin' straight. And fear can keep you safe sometimes."

"How?" Adam asked, his little brow wrinkled in confusion.

"Because a certain kinda' fear makes you pay attention to what's going on around you. And if you can control it, you can be observant enough to protect yourself from whatever it is that's scaring you, sometimes."

Adam nodded, though he was not thoroughly convinced. "Glad you're home now."

"Me too, little one, me too," Mal said.

Adam looked toward the ladder to see River descending gracefully. "Hey, Mama," he said. "Was just talking to Daddy a minute."

River nodded. "That's good," she said. "But I think Daddy might need to rest."

Kissing Adam's sandy-brown hair, Mal set the boy back on his feet. "'Spect that's so, little one," he said.

"'Night, Daddy," Adam said, walking obediently to the ladder. "See you tomorrow."

Mal nodded, knowing what was needful. "Yes, you will," he confirmed.

River waited until Adam was gone and closed the hatch softly. "Are you all right, ai ren?"

Knowing it was useless to lie to a Reader, Mal replied simply, "Nowhere even close."

River sat on the edge of the bed and pulled her knees up to her chin. "We're in the Black," she offered.

Mal nodded. "Felt the take-off," he said.

They sat for a moment in silence. "Father knows of a place," River said finally. "A kind of wilderness on the other side of Osiris. We should be safe there, until Zoe and Jim are ready to come back aboard." She looked at Mal intently. "Unless you want to leave them here and find work."

Mal shook his head. "Zoe's treatments will be over in a few days, and as I understand it, once Jim's to a certain point, we can do for him here what they're doing for him there. Right?"

"That's right," River confirmed.

Mal let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "Ain't all that sure about things right now, bao bei," he admitted.

River laid her hand gently across his. "I know," she said simply.

"This whole shielding thing," Mal said. "Is it still there?"

River reached out tentatively with her mind. "I don't think so," she said slowly. "I can hear you now."

Mal sat up eagerly. "Can you see what was done to me?"

"Only your impression of it," River said sadly.

Mal fell back against the bulkhead. "S'what I was afraid of," he said. After a moment, he looked at her hopefully. "Maybehaps you could tell if you really dug deep."

"Tell what, ai ren?" she asked compassionately.

Mal swallowed thickly. "What they did," he answered, a terrible dread in his voice. "River, I don't have any notion as to what was happening. Not really, anyway. I was…asleep, dreaming. Seemed like it was going to last forever, dream after dream until there was no sense of time anymore. And then I'd wake up to that room, that empty white nothingness. They didn't say anything, at least not anything of use. Just kept sticking the gorram needles in and watching their monitors. For all I know, they've changed something important, something deep down inside me, and then covered it up so's I don't even know. And it's the not knowin' that eats at me." His blue eyes flashed with pain. "What am I?"

River placed a gentle head on either side of his face. "You're Mal," she said.

"Am I?" he asked, doubt tingeing his tone. "Read me, darlin'," he said. "Tell me that after you read me."

River closed her eyes, leaning into him as she concentrated all her mental capacity on her husband's mind. She laid her head against his chest, feeling the rhythm of his heart as she searched the mind she knew better than any other save her own. He lay beneath her, doing what he could to aid her search, opening himself to the gentle invasion. The room was quiet for a long time, until finally she stirred. "I see nothing other than you, ai ren," she said.

"No triggers, no tampering, no…whatever?" Mal asked, hardly daring to believe her words.

"No," River answered. "Nothing."

Mal drew her into his arms, feeling suddenly lighter by half. "You're sure?"

"Certain," River replied. "Whatever their purpose, you are still you."

"Good to know, darlin'," he said softly. "Good to know."

XXXXXXXXXXX

Two weeks passed, mercifully uneventfully, and Mal began to feel right again in his own skin. Looking out at the wilderness around them, he smiled at Gabriel. "You ready to get back to Capitol City?"

Gabriel pulled the nettles from his pants leg, where Adam was swinging happily. "I do indeed believe I've had enough of nature to last for awhile," he said.

Mal laughed, catching Adam up into his arms as they walked back up the ramp. "Best you go get washed up," he said as he set Adam down on sturdy legs. "Miss Kaylee's got a stew cooking."

Adam squealed, always eager for Kaylee's fine cooking. Gabriel watched his grandson go with a wistful look. "You won't be back again for a long time, will you?" he asked.

Mal sighed. "Not likely. Best for us to stay away from the Core worlds now they know about Adam."

"I'm sorry, Captain," Gabriel said. "Truly sorry for my part in bringing that knowledge to their attention."

Mal smiled bleakly. "Couldn't have hidden it forever anyway," he said. "And least we know that they know. Can take steps to keep 'im safe."

Gabriel nodded. "There is no one else I would entrust him to," he said. "Buddha knows you've provided safe haven for my own children."

Mal inclined his head, figuring that was all the answer required. Closing the ramp, he hit the comm.. "River, take us back to the city. Jim and Zoe're waiting to be picked up."

Almost immediately, he felt Serenity lift beneath his feet as River complied with his instruction. And walking toward the galley to get his share of Kaylee's stew, he thought about how to protect his family from what he could only assume was a gathering storm.

XXXXXXXXXX

Author's Note: This ends another arc in the monstrously long Mal/River storyline. BlueSun's true purpose will be revealed, as all villainous plots are, in the course of time. But first, Mal and crew will be meeting up with the crew of the Hit or Miss for another adventure, entitled "Four of a Kind", which I am currently co-writing with the wonderfully talented MidnightObsidian. For those who have stuck with this storyline so far, I applaud your tenacity and I very much appreciate all your support. Until the next arc begins, happy reading and writing to you!


End file.
